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Posts by mvbookreviewer

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

Requested ARC Review: Behind Closed Doors by Sherri Hayes

Format: E-bookbehindcloseddoors
Read with: Adobe Reader for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Daniel Brothers, Book 1
Publisher: The Writer’s Coffee Shop
Hero: Christopher Allen Daniels
Heroine: Elizabeth Marshall
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: February 9, 2012
Started On: February 3, 2012
Finished On: February 3, 2012

27 year old Elizabeth Marshall is finally free from the shackles that has bound her when she had been married to Jared, the man who had slowly and surely chipped away any self-confidence or feeling self-worth she might have had before she had married him. To start over afresh, Elizabeth makes her way towards Springfield, Ohio where she gets more than she bargained for when she meets the larger than life Christopher Allen Daniels.

32 year old Christoper is a cynic when it comes to women. The ultimate betrayal at the hands of his ex-wife Carol leaves Chris with a bad taste in his mouth when it comes to getting close to any woman, even though he is tempted to from time to time. But none has tested his resolve to stay away from the fairer sex as much as his new housemate Elizabeth, who from the very first encounter he desires with everything that is primal deep inside of him.

Though Chris is determined to ignore Elizabeth and the effect she has on his control and baser emotions, all his best laid plans somehow fly out the window when circumstances find both of them spending time with each other. Little by little Chris starts to see that Elizabeth is nothing like his ex-wife though his insecurities remain and Elizabeth starts to feel safe and secure in the fact that she is all woman and more than enough when it comes to Chris.

But somehow the fragile connection that is forged between these two is tested when someone starts threatening Elizabeth, somebody out to settle a score and out for Elizabeth’s blood. Chris is surprised at the ferocity of all the protective instincts that flare to life deep inside of him and from then on there is no turning back for either Chris or Elizabeth as their relationship grows and fosters and is tested against all the hurdles that they face along the way.

It would be an understatement to say that I loved the 1st installment of the Daniel Brothers series. Chris the hero was just ultra-yummy. Brooding, tortured and a hot mess of a man who just made me go weak at the knees with his carnal thoughts about a woman who brings forth too much emotion from him right from the start. Chris doesn’t want or need any complications in his life, and he certainly doesn’t want that off-kilter feeling that strikes him whenever Elizabeth is around. But, when push comes to shove, there is none like Chris, his protective nature which just set off all the right emotions deep inside of me and I couldn’t have asked for more from him, a hero I adored on all counts.

Elizabeth was just plain wonderful. I love heroines who are dainty, feminine and are not trying to prove every second of the day that they are as strong as or stronger than men. I especially loved how Sherri handled the abuse that Elizabeth had gone through and how Sherri portrayed the journey of self-discovery Elizabeth goes through and how she emerges that much stronger because of what she had been through. Her need for a man who is as crazy about her, maybe even more so, and the way Chris manages to chase away those shadows of self-doubt that continue to linger long after was one of the best parts of the story. I loved that it wasn’t just Chris who was the giver in their relationship. Rather Elizabeth too acts as the soothing balm that soothes the tattered and frayed edges of Chris’s heart and shatters down the walls of reserve that has held his emotion intact until Elizabeth turns up in his life.

Though the villain was easy to figure out more than half way into the story, the element of suspense in the novel proved to make this already well-rounded tale of romance that much more enticing. For me, the Daniel brothers and the whole family signifies a family as it should be. Relationships of the believable and heartwarming kind is what you find here and those bits certainly added towards making the story a well developed tale in all aspects. I am so looking forward to the story of each and every brother in the family, and up next is Gage’s story, the playboy and the pro-football player and I will continue to wonder what Sherri has got in store for him. Winter 2013 seems so far away right now and the wait seems like an endless one.

For fans of tortured heroes, abused heroines who together finds the beauty that is love as it heals all scars and wounds on the surface and on the inside; this one’s for you!

Purchase Links: Writer’s Coffee Shop

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: Sex, Lies and Contracts by Jennifer Probst

Format: E-booksexliesandcontracts
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Red Sage Publishing
Hero: Jack Alexander Woodward
Heroine: Julianna Elizabeth Waters
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: February 2, 2012
Started On: February 2, 2012
Finished On: February 3, 2012

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 98 A
The heroine 98 A
Story line 90 A
Emotional Intensity 90 A
Story’s ability to suck me in 90 A
Heat & Sensuality  100 A
Conflicts within the story 80 A
Writing Style 95 A
Quotable Factor 80 A
The ending 90 A
Overall Grade 91.1 A 

Score Sheet Summary

32 year old Jack Alexander Woodward is the ultimate heir to his family’s shipping business and fortune; that is if he marries within the next couple of months as stipulated in the will by his father. Though Jack might be handsome as sin, sexy and charming enough to make any woman fall for him and rich enough to have any woman he wants, his heart yearns for love and the ultimate happily ever after that comes along only with love in the equation. So Jack sets off on his own, aiming to find the one woman who would love him for him, not because of his wealth and all that is at his disposal, but someone who would love him in spite of all those things.

Julianna Elizabeth Waters lives in New Port of Rhode Island. The promise that she made to her father on his deathbed is the only thing that prevents Julianna from leaving, the freedom which she had yearned for so long once again out of reach because she cannot turn back on duty which had defined her all her life. Julianna’s deeply sensual nature is hidden behind the ugly clothes that she wears and the intimidating expression that she puts on every day that keeps people at arm’s distance. Julianna’s plan is to find a man who is rich enough to save her family home, despite her misgivings and yearnings to do otherwise.

When Julianna and Jack’s paths cross, out comes Julianna’s needs and desires that have been lying dormant for so long, reveling in the heady sense of being woman enough to shake the sexy as sin Jack to his very toes. Jack’s rules are simple once he identifies Julianna to be another mercenary woman after a man’s riches. Julianna’s nights belong to him and him alone, until she is successful in her attempts to snatch a husband who would satisfy her materialistic needs. 

The Tantric Principle was my first Jennifer Probst and I expected a similar emotional read packed with sexual tension hot enough to singe through my e-reader. And let me tell you I wasn’t disappointed at all with how the story proceeded. The raw passion that seeped through the scene on the cliffs had me practically squirming on my seat, the scene being one of the most sexually charged and explosive scenes I have read of late. And oh when Jack talks dirty, quotes poetry that just sizzles along the nerve endings; let me just say, be warned that you would require a tall, cool glass of water afterwards.

The emotion that Jennifer weaves through all the very well done scenes of the erotic variety just sealed the deal for me for this to be rated as an amazing read, a novella I would highly recommend for those who love their erotic romances with that heady spice to heat up your insides. If you are looking for a hero who knows what he is capable of and has no qualms about going after what he wants with everything he has, if you are fan of heroes who talk dirty and can make even poetry sound like sex talk, seize this book and indulge!

Favorite Quotes

He obviously enjoyed her annoyance. He took his time and uncapped the bottle of water. Removed his ball cap. Dumped the water over his head.
Julianna’s breath caught. Her body slammed into overdrive at the raw sexual scene before her. Water dripped from his thick blond hair and ran down his face. Over a carved jaw. Slid down to dampen perfectly cut lips.
His t-shirt soaked up the liquid and clung to his chest like a Women’s Night gone wild. Hunger hit hard and deep as she followed the trail down to his belt buckle, where droplets slid under the denim and hid beyond.

Her gaze lifted.
And collided with a full-sized predator.
His eyes were the dark whiskey gold her father liked to pour in heavily cut crystal glasses. Liquid fire, potent and seething with heat. 

Then his mouth took hers.
Julianna didn’t have a chance. It was the Alamo all over again. Warm, capable lips molded perfectly to hers and with one push, his tongue slipped into her mouth. Like a marauding pirate, he conquered and enjoyed his territory, his hot tongue thrusting in and out in a teasing game before he dove deep and claimed his treasure. 

The night engulfed her with silence, and the horizon pulled her further into an alternate universe. Civilization left behind, she waited for him as the boat made its way deep into the ocean, then slowed. A million stars twinkled overhead.
She never heard his footsteps.
Like a wild stallion mounting his mare, he pressed his hard body against hers and dragged her legs apart. She gasped and held on tight as he yanked her up, spread her wide, and plunged deep inside.

Purchase Links: Red Sage

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Off Limits by Emma Jay

Format: E-bookofflimits.jpeg
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd
Hero: Zack Purser
Heroine: Paige Clark
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: February 7, 2012
Started On: February 1, 2012
Finished On: February 2, 2012

Zach Purser is the ultimate playboy. He has made it his life mission to never lay down his roots until he is darn well and ready to, the impact of a childhood spent struggling to achieve those goals that he had hungered for even back then. None other than Adam Clark,ounger sister Paige Clark remains the forbidden fruit to Zach, no matter how much he mi his best friend for the better half of his life knows his legendary conquests when it comes to bedding and leaving a wake of women behind and that is one reason why Adam’s yght hunger for her touch.

Paige had always crushed on Zach ever since she had reached the age where she had known what crushing and lusting was all about. She wants Zach and not even the towering fury that is her elder brother is going to stop her from trying to seduce his best friend. With no holds barred, Paige launches her mission of tempting Zach to take the plunge, to indulge just once in the sexual tension that always lingers between them whenever they cross paths.

Turning away Paige time and yet again is the hardest thing Zach has ever had to do. But a man can say no only so many times and Zach finally reaches the end of his rope and succumbs, only to find that walking away as he thought is much more difficult than he anticipated. Zach finds himself reaching out to Paige in a way that is foreign to his very existence, all the while trying to hide his emerging and very confusing feelings towards Paige from her brother and his best friend.

Emma Jay has a way of writing that always draws me in and leaves me with the need to find out more. And that was the case with this novella too. I love the way she portrays complex characters, the way she brings forth the emotion that kept me turning the pages even into the wee hours of the night, unable to let go of the hold Zach and Paige had on me and my emotions. Just one question remains on my mind as I write this review, will Emma Jay write a story for Adam and Paige’s house mate? I would love to see Adam fall, and fall hard. Yep, the evil cupid inside of me cannot resist voicing this thought.

Recommended for fans of Emma Jay & fans of erotic contemporary romances. Emma Jay gives you the emotion with the erotic, and that is one reason I will continue to come back for more!

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Samhain

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Romancing the Valentine Giveaway Hop!

romancingthevalentine

So, the Shameless Giveaway Hop turned out to be such a fun and out of this world experience that I thought to myself, why not participate in another giveaway hop? This time the giveaway hop is hosted by Reading Romances and it is about celebrating the lover’s day i.e. Valentine’s day which is just around a week or so away.

This giveaway is open internationally as well, so don’t hesitate to jump in and enter.

So this time too, you get to choose the book that you want from me. Please read the conditions and giveaway rules carefully before entering. Winners will be announced on February 14 as per rules of the giveaway hop.

Conditions:

  • The book you are requesting for MUST be a ROMANCE. Any other sort of books cannot be requested for in this giveaway. All sub-genres of romance are included.
  • It can be an e-copy of the book or paperback.
  • If you are requesting for a paperback version of the book, it should be available on Book Depository and you should live in a country to which Book Depository offers shipping.
  • The price of the e-book or paperback should not exceed US$ 10.00.
  • Each participant can request for only a SINGLE title.

Once again, I will be drawing THREE winners from those who enter the giveaway.

Giveaway Rules:

  • Leave a comment with the title and author of the book you want from me.
  • State whether it is an e-copy or the paperback version you want. If you don’t state this, your entry would be disqualified.
  • Leave a valid e-mail address behind as a way to contact you if you are chosen as the winner.
  • And last of all help spread the word about the giveaway.

Giveaway Timings:

  • Begins: 00:00 hours, February 6 2012, Maldivian Time.
  • Ends: 23:59  hours, February 13 2012, Maldivian Time.
  • Maldivian timezone: GMT+5

You can check the rest of the authors/bloggers participating in this event by using the following link.



by mvbookreviewer

Review: More Than One Night by Sarah Mayberry

Format: E-bookmorethanonenight
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Superromance
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Rhys Andrew Walker
Heroine: Charlotte Long
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: February 1, 2012
Started On: February 4, 2012
Finished On: February 4, 2012

Trust Sarah Mayberry to take a plot that has practically been done to death in the world of romance and still give readers a story that is worth remembering. In my eyes, Sarah Mayberry is one of the few authors in the contemporary romance genre who can do no wrong. Each and every single story that I have read from her has always been memorable, and her latest release is no exception to the rule.

32 year old Charlotte (Charlie) Long leaves the army after 14 long years of service and is trying to find her place in civilian life. Her best friend Gina sees a cause for celebration her first night back and that is how she crosses paths with the handsome, charming and sexy Rhys Andrew Walker, who himself is celebrating the successful sealing of a business deal that means the world to him. Driven, determined and ambitious is what Rhys is all about, and when he sees Charlie and the spark and connection between them is an immediate and instantaneous one, Rhys convinces Charlie to indulge with him in one night of decadent passion.

However for Charlie, the light of the morning brings forth with a vengeance the insecurities that had been kept at bay in the darkness of the night and Charlie slips away, believing deep in her heart that someone as sinfully good looking as Rhys would never give her the time of the day. Eight weeks later the story continues, Charlie slowly and surely finding her footing in the uncertain waters that is civilian life. And then comes the scariest revelation of her life; that she is pregnant with Rhys’s baby.

More than One Night is a story that stands true to the remarkable talent that Sarah Mayberry shows whenever she puts pen to paper to create her vivid cast of characters and emotions that practically seeps through the pages. And in More than One Night I found a story that nearly had me in tears, a relationship that when it unfolded had me holding my breathe in just to see how Rhys and Charlie make their way through a situation fraught with the unknown and emotions that neither of them had never felt before.

Charlie is one of the most complex heroines I have encountered in the fact that she has so much pain and feelings of insecurity buried so deep inside of her. As a child, Charlie had learnt early on to keep her emotions in check, to show a calm and controlled front to the rest of the world. Having never received love or affection from her father, Charlie had set out to join the military as the last attempt at winning over his affections. But even that had not turned out as she had thought it would though the military had given her a sense of belonging she hadn’t ever felt before.

The pivotal moment in the story during which Charlie came out with all the fears and insecurities that had been bottled up deep inside of her for a lifetime, I seriously found myself with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat the size of a roadblock that refused to go away no matter how hard I tried. And I am not one to cry easily either at movies or over a book, and the fact that Charlie’s character invoked so much emotion from me surprised me all in a good way. Needless to say, I loved Charlie, her straightforward and pragmatic manner, her loyalty, the way she wants to do the right thing above everything else and the way she faces whatever challenge that she comes across with a strength and determination that astounded me at times.

It is a rare circumstance for me to gush about a heroine in a book and totally forget about the hero. Rhys’s character was what made everything deep inside of Charlie better and stronger in the end. Rhys is the type of man who focuses on what he wants, goes after it and succeeds in his attempts to win over the goals he sets in his life. But all those things that had seemed so important to him before suddenly takes a backseat when he discovers he is going to be a father, a news that has him reeling at first. But slowly and surely, Rhys finds that becoming a father with Charlie in the picture is exactly what he wants and needs, if only he could convince Charlie to let go, to trust in him and their newfound love for one another.

It was a thing of beauty to witness the phases that Charlie goes through in order to come out the triumphant one in the end. Rhys works his brand of magic on her, like a soothing salve on those wounds that had festered away for far too long. As I said before, the emotional impact of the story is one that completely sucker punched me, from the sexually charged scenes to the beautiful proposal at the end that had me smiling through all the emotions that had bombarded me from all corners for the better half of the story.

If you want a story that would completely draw you in, characters that feel real, and go through honest emotions to come out winners with a love that is that much more beautiful because of the journey they take towards the ultimate happily ever after, this one’s for you.

Favorite Quotes

He leaned closer and she swallowed the rest of her words as he pressed a kiss to her lips. He lifted his head slightly and looked into her eyes. She stared back at him, stunned, her heart thudding against her breastbone. He palmed the nape of her neck, and then he was kissing her again, his tongue sweeping into her mouth this time, turning her legs to jelly.
She pressed her body against his, her skin on fire, desire beating a tattoo through her veins. His tongue stroked hers gently, provocatively, and she reached out and gripped his shoulders with both hands.
After a long, long moment he drew back. “Come home with me?” he asked very quietly, his voice a low husk.
Dear God, I thought you’d never ask.

Just when she was about to scream with frustration he flexed his hips and slid inside her. Her body welcomed him as he buried himself to the hilt. She let out a broken little sob, almost tearful over how good it felt to be filled by him, how hard and thick and hot he felt inside her.
He started to move, and within seconds she’d found his rhythm. Every clumsy sexual encounter she’d ever had, every second of self-consciousness over her body or her own needs, every doubt she’d ever experienced went out the window as she gave herself over to the moment.

He pulled her close and kissed her the way he’d been wanting to for weeks. There was the smallest of hesitations then she kissed him back, her body straining toward his almost desperately. She tasted of salty tears and need and he tightened his arms around her, wanting to take away the pain he’d caused her, needing to make things right between them. 

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N| Harlequin

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Guest Post by Author Sherri Hayes + Giveaway!!

I discovered author Sherri Hayes through a review request for her book Hidden Threat. Sherri Hayes is an author that has promising talent. I loved her way of creating sexual tension between two characters that is just waiting to explode and that is one reason why I would recommend her books to fellow romance lovers.

Today Sherri shares with us how she comes up with ideas for her books. This should make for an interesting read because I for one continue to wonder and be amazed at the talent that authors remarkably show us readers of their ability to think up of twists and turns that practically have us on the edge of our seats, and all that just by stringing words so cleverly together. So without further ado, please welcome Sherri.

How do you come up with ideas for your books?

Ideas for my books come from everywhere. Hidden Threat came from a fairytale type story I’d been toying with in my head since I was fourteen. I didn’t want to publish a fairytale or a sci-fi fantasy, so I changed a lot of things to set it in modern corporate America. My Finding Anna series was a mixture of my new found interest in reading BDSM stories and some recent news coverage of the woman who’d been held captive against her will for eighteen years. As far as Behind Closed Doors, my newest romantic suspense novel, the idea began with a book cover I’d seen in a local store.

I find that my characters tend to develop first, then the plot. In Behind Closed Doors, Elizabeth’s character took hold before anything else. She was moving to a small town to start over. Why was she starting over? What made her choose that place?

Once I had that figured out, I had moved on to Chris. Who was he? What did he do? How could I begin to develop this relationship between him and Elizabeth?

The next thing I look at is who my ‘bad guy’ is going to be. For this story, the idea came from my editor. She and I had had a conversation about a completely unrelated story and I knew I wanted to incorporate it into my next romantic suspense. I just had to figure out how. Again, I had to figure out how she was connected to the two main characters and what her motivation to harm one or both of them was.

As the characters develop in my head, so does the plot. I’m able to come up with twists and turns I’d like to see take place.

Since I’m not an outline person, I then sit down and write. With the knowledge of who the characters are, their backgrounds, and their motivations, I let the story unfold. Ideas for additional plot lines always come up when I’m writing. Sometimes they get worked in, and sometimes they don’t. It’s just part of the creative process.

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

So guys and gals, Sherri is giving away an e-copy of her upcoming novel Behind Closed Doors, book 1 in the Daniel Brothers series which releases from The Writer’s Coffee Shop Publishing House on the 9th of this month. I am right now about a quarter into the book and I can already tell that this is going to end up being an invigoratingly awesome read!

To enter the giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment letting us know one book that surprised you with how good it turned out. Easy right? And don’t forget to spread the good word to fellow book lovers like yourself! 

  • Giveaway begins: At 00:00 hours on February 4, 2012
  • Giveaway ends: At 00:00 hours February 6, 2012 Maldivian time. [GMT +5]
by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: Worth the Trip by Penny McCall

Format: E-bookworththetrip
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Penguin Group
Hero: James Aloysius Jones, III
Heroine: Norah MacArthur
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: November 2, 2010
Started On: January 24, 2012
Finished On: February 1, 2012

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 90 A
The heroine 70 B
Story line 90 A
Emotional Intensity 90 A
Story’s ability to suck me in 70 B
Heat & Sensuality  85 A
Conflicts within the story 80 A
Writing Style 90 A
Quotable Factor 70 B
The Ending
 80 A
Overall Grade 81.5 A 

Score Sheet Summary

Meet Norah MacArthur, a psychology professor at the Midwest School of Psychology who has got the whole nerdy, studious professor thing perfectly laid out. Beneath the boxy suites that she wears lays a heart that has encountered too many a betrayal from a father who is one of the best conman that the state has ever seen. With him being released from prison after 15 long years of his sentence, Norah expects that all those who had wondered about the 50 million dollars worth of stolen goods that had made her father famous would come out of the woodwork with the news of his imminent release. But never in her wildest imagination does she foresee the man FBI sends her way, churning up her perfectly stoic emotions and placing her on uncharted waters.

Enter James Aloysius MacArthur, III otherwise known as Trip Jones who is charming, sinfully good looking and has got the determination to hunt down the treasure that had eluded law enforcement officials for far too long. Trip knows that the only way he would ever get Norah’s father to crack under pressure is to keep Norah by his side. But when the threats against Norah start piling up, Trip’s mission becomes a doubly risky one all the while aiming to keep his heart and emotions intact around the bristly Norah who makes no qualms about showing him what she thinks of Feds and him specifically.

And so the two opposites butt their heads together, each never thinking of the possibility that beneath all the ruffled feathers lies a passion that is worth fighting for, and from that mutual desire for each other might stem a love that could defy all odds stacked against them.

It was certainly different reading about the heroine who had major issues about commitment and trust in general, understandable when growing up with a father like hers which were bound to leave some emotional scars behind. Trip proved to be the easier character to get to know, not just because of the sexy cover this book totes, but because he has an easy charm about him that just invites a person to move in and get to know him. But don’t make the mistake of thinking he is some pansy who can be wrapped around one’s little finger, far from that. For me, Trip Jones proved to be the factor that kept me turning the pages, his intense passion & need for Norah that is so much a part of the wicked banter these two indulge in the reason I didn’t give up on the story.

Recommended for fans of Penny McCall; her outrageously sexy hero and the banter is reason enough to add this to your book pile.

Favorite Quotes

[Trip] “You’re a pain in the ass. A wordy pain in the ass.”
“Here are two more words for you. Interfering jerk.”
“Stubborn idiot.”
“Government patsy.”
“Bookworm,” Trip shot back, and then he had her up against her car, his mouth on hers, his hands on her body, taking as much of her as he could get. She came right back at him, curling her hands into his shirt, trying to drag him closer, which was impossible since the only thing between them was a couple of thin layers of clothing and enough heat to cause spontaneous combustion.

 A bolt of lightning speared down into the lake, followed by a clap of thunder so loud Norah swore she felt the lighthouse quake.
“Jeez,” she said, shrinking back against Trip and not feeling stupid about it because it was nice to have a strong man around at a time like this. “Did you feel that?”
“Like the earth moved? That was nothing.” And he spun her around and took her mouth.

She got to her knees, running her nails lightly along his chest, loving the way he groaned, loving how his breath wheezed out when she took him into her hands, loving him, even when he reared up and said, “Now,” and took her waist in his hands and pushed her onto her back. She didn’t object or take offense. Words were beyond her, too, as he surged into her, hard and fast, and she forgot how to breathe and how to think. 

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Pick of the Month January 2012 + Interview & Giveaway!

daremeThe beginning of 2012 turned out to be a great one for me reading wise though it didn’t initially start out that way. Two books which had received rave reviews from reviewers and readers alike, I found the books lacking the spark that jump starts my reading juices.

And then things started looking up, though I was a bit worried since the end of the month was looming nearer and nearer and I hadn’t read a book that I could choose as my Pick of the Month read for January.

My savior came in the form of Dare Me by Lexxie Couper, a book that hit the e-book stands just yesterday. A story that rocked my very world with a seriously, sinfully sexy Australian hero (did I mention the sexy part?), and a heroine who matched him very well in EVERY SINGLE way!

Since I didn’t have much time to do the Q&A, I almost skipped that part, but at the last minute decided to contact Lexxie who was wonderful enough to squeeze my questions in and help the post go live on time. Thank you so much Lexxie!

So, here goes.

MBR: Since I didn’t read book 1 in the series (Triple Dare), I must have most definitely missed out on the urge to do some serious arse kicking after Rob reveals he has brain cancer. What made you end the book on that note, leaving the reader practically squirming with the need to know what happens next?

LC: (SPOILERS *grin*) I originally planned for Rob to die. I’d planned this bittersweet epilogue that saw Anne and Joseph be thinking about Rob as they planned their next big “kick-life-in-the-butt” adventure holiday. However, three things stopped me. One, my editor (who demanded Rob’s story even as I was writing Triple Dare), Jess Dee (who threatened my with death if I did, in fact, let Rob die) and three, Rob himself. By the time I got to the epilogue he was whispering all sorts of things in my ear I just couldn’t ignore. I must say, I am sorry for making people wait twelve months to get Rob’s story. I hope it’s been worth the wait for everyone :)

MBR: As I mentioned earlier in the post, Rob has that seriously sexy thing going for him that just made me want to hum in pleasure just by his mere presence alone. How did you come up with his character in the first place and is he based on any real life character that you know?

LC: LOL Yeah, there is something special about Robert Thorton, isn’t there. Rob is a collection of men I know (all Aussies, of course *grin*) but he also took on a life of his own as I was writing him. Quite often during Triple Dare he would do something I totally wasn’t expecting and be damned if I could stop him (I tried once, and had to delete an entire chapter). What I was really hoping to do with Rob (and Joseph) was capture the sardonic cheekiness of most of the Australian guys I know and love. :)

MBR: As much as I found Rob swoon-worthy, I loved Emily. Her no nonsense attitude and her giving nature just won me over right from the start. Did Emily come out on paper as you exactly wanted her to, or did she completely surprise you with the way she turned out in the end?

LC: I had great difficulty with Emily…right up to the point Rob stumbled after their first kiss. I couldn’t get in her headspace for quite some time, but from that point, BAM! Emily surged forward, with all her no-nonsensesness, serious compassion and medical mind-set. From then onwards, she pretty much wrote herself. Of course, she also took charge quite often of her own actions to the point I wanted to scream at her when she got up and walked away from him in his home (you know the point I’m talking about? I mean, how could she do that?? Argh!!!)

MBR: In Dare Me, you tackled with an issue that is rarely discussed in romance novels. The line that might be crossed over in doctor-patient care, something few acknowledge or talk about. I think you handled the conflict quite well and because of it, the book’s emotional impact was that much more. As a writer, do you always constantly challenge yourself to writing about situations that aren’t easy for the hero or heroine to get out from?

LC: Thank you so much. I must admit, I was quite nervous about how readers would react to a hero recovering from brain cancer, and a heroine who has difficulty separating her professional side from her heart. I do challenge myself, but not always by design. Even when I try to write something light, funny and flippant it will often turn into something so much more. Those times I ask myself and/or critique partners what the hell I’m doing. I’m 100% convinced Rhian Cahill, Jess Dee and Mari Carr are sick of hearing me wonder what’s going on in my brain. Having said that, there are very few of my characters that have had an easy backstory and even fewer of my books that let the characters off easy. I’ve complained often to Rhian, Jess and Mari that I’m not deep enough to write the stories I seem to somehow end up writing. They tell me to shut up and just keep working. *grin*

MBR: I see that you write a wide variety of genres. What’s next from Lexxie Couper for 2012?

LC: Oh Lordy. 2012 is insane for me. Next month I have How to Love Your Dragon, a story about a re-incarnated druid who is now a Sydney veterinarian and the dragon-shifter police officer who pulls him over for speeding. Then in April, Love’s Rhythm, which sees Nick Blackthorne, the world’s biggest rock star return to his small home town and the only woman he’s ever loved, a woman who’s heart he destroyed fifteen years ago, only to discover a secret that will change everything. Then there’s the next Party Games book, Twister, followed by Sunset Heat which tells the story of a love-triangle between an Australian, a Brit and an American. Then there’s Suspicious Ways (my first ever non-erotic romance) in September, then Dark Embrace, the first sequel to Death, The Vamp and his Brother in November. All of them feature some very sexy, very cheeky, very very naughty Aussie heroes. Oh, and in amongst all that there are two more dragon-shifter books to be written, five more Deadly Daemon books and four more Stimulated books, not to mention the series I’m co-writing with Mari Carr about two Australian cowboys (who we call “stockmen” Down Under) and the women who finally rope them ;) Seriously, I think my muse must has a caffeine drip inserted. :)

GIVEAWAY!!! GIVEAWAY!!!

Lexxie Couper is giving away TWO copies of BOTH books in the series which means you get a copy of Triple Dare and Dare Me as well. How awesome is she?

So the giveaway rules, as usual:

  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 (use the hashtag #MBRPickofTheMonthGiveaway), recommend this post on Facebook & earn 5 extra entries. And don’t forget to mention in your comment whether you have tweeted or recommended the post on Facebook to get your extra entries.
  4. Like my page on Facebook to gain 5 extra more entries. If you are already a member of my page, just state so and you would gain your 5 extra entries.
  5. Giveaway begins at 00:00 hours February 1, 2012 and will end at 00:00 hours Maldivian time on the February 3, 2012. Winners will be contacted soon after and announced here on my blog!

So come on over & enter!

by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: Hidden Fire by Jess Dee

Format: E-book
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Fire, Book 2
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd
Hero: Garreth Halt
Heroine: Jenna Brooks
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: January 31, 2012
Started On: January 25, 2012
Finished On: January 25, 2012

The day that Jenna Brooks and her twin brother Jackson turns 30 is the day that Jenna finds out that her brother wants to break the pact that had protected both of them, especially Jenna for the past 12 years. At 17, the vicious lies spread by an ex-girlfriend of Jackson who had been one of Jenna’s closest friends had affected Jenna more so than Jackson. The news that Jackson wants out leaves Jenna with a sense of freedom and exhilaration she barely allows herself to acknowledge before she is making her way towards the one man who has invaded the calm facade behind which Jenna has hidden to protect herself for the past 12 years of her life.

Garreth Halt has given up hope that Jenna would ever embrace the fiery connection that has been between them since day one of their encounter 2 years back. Resigned to heading back home in a couple of days Garreth doesn’t expect the warm bundle of woman who hurtles herself into his arms and demands that he take possession of everything she has to give and more. But the secret that Garreth hides is one that drives Jenna away, allowing her to once again put up the shields of steel around her heart and emotions, all but reeling from the news that Garreth imparts during the one time Jenna had opened herself up to him.

Intervention comes in the form of Jackson and his girlfriend, which forces both Jenna and Garreth into each other’s company, to lay their emotions bare and to confront the love that they have for each other. The passion that has always simmered between the two of them bursts forth in waves, the scorching scenes of over the charts hot sex as always so very well done by an author whose erotic contemporary stories I have come to adore.

Hidden Fire, though it reads as a standalone, in my opinion should be read after Winter Fire which first introduces the characters that we come across in this novella. Maybe because I didn’t read Winter Fire before, I found myself in total disbelief at how Garreth justifies his reasons for having done what he did; to remove the obstacle that was preventing Jenna from acknowledging her feelings towards him. The one thing that did redeem Garreth was the fact that he had always been there for Jenna when she had needed it, no questions asked. Even with Garreth’s character turning out the way he did for me, the style and wit with which Jess presents a story is one never to be missed and that’s why I would recommend both the books in Fire series to fans of contemporary erotic romance lovers and fans of Jess Dee!

Favorite Quotes

She kissed him in the exact same way he wanted to fuck her. Hard, insistent, determined, as though burning him with her mouth. Branding her taste on his lips, marking him as her own.

[Jenna] “I’m still scared to be me though,” she told him. “And I’m still a little scared of you.”
For the first time he understood what she meant. “You know what? I scare myself. I’ve wanted to make love to you for so damn long. But getting this close, knowing you trust me? Christ, Jenn, I don’t just want to f#ck you. I want to possess you. Make you mine. Become a part of you. Make you a part of me.”

F#ck, she was perfect. Making love to her wasn’t just heaven. It was the single most amazing experience in his thirty years of life. She may have been made for him, but he was made for this moment. For the ultimate instant when he and Jenna merged into one.

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

[xrr rating=4/5]

Caliber Seal: GREAT READ!

by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: Dare Me by Lexxie Couper

Format: E-book
Read with: Adobe Digital Editions
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: A Red Hot Weekend Story
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd
Hero: Robert Thorton
Heroine: Emily Julie Knox
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: January 31, 2012
Started On: January 25, 2012
Finished On: January 25, 2012

Sometimes, a red hot scorching erotic novella is just what the doctor ordered to chase away those blues and light up your inner fire. My very first Lexxie Couper turned out to be an outstanding read, a book that petted and stroked every emotion I had to give in the deeply emotional and erotic story of how brain cancer survivor Robert Thorton (Rob) finds his ultimate happily ever after in the arms of his ex-doctor Emily Julie Knox.

After 8 months of intensive treatment, Rob finally gets the green signal that his cancer is no more. Even then, nothing and not even his sexy as sin British oncologist Emily would keep him from flying back to Australia to be a part of his best friend’s wedding. Knowing that thinking about the good doctor would get him nowhere fast doesn’t stop his wayward thoughts from fantasizing about her. And when Emily turns up at the wedding reception, looking more appealing than ever, every sane thought that Rob has flies out of the window and its just need for the woman who has invaded his heart that takes control of all his very much alive and kicking body parts.

Emily is a woman who confronts the worst sort of nightmare a person who has undertaken the Hippocratic oath can ever face. Falling in love with her own patient was one thing she never foresaw, her emotions going on a roller coaster ride something she never expected with all that life had brought her way until now. But the memory of that searing kiss which had shaken her to her very toes propels her to hop on a plane, leaving everything familiar behind to go after the man with whom she had fallen head over heels in love with somewhere along the way.

Every minute of the encounters between Rob and Emily are filled with scenes of passion of the scorching hot variety. I loved Rob’s character, his zest for life and his daredevil nature that just shines through with everything he does. The way he cannot get enough of Emily and the way she sets his senses afire was one of the best parts of a story that I fell in love with from page 1 itself.

Emily herself turned out to be exactly what Rob needed to face the fact that he would always be a cancer survivor and that is one part of his past  that he has to accept in order for him to have any future worth living for. The cute little epilogue tucked at the very end of the story just served to make this a very satisfying read, one which I would not be forgetting anytime soon!

If you love a hero who can practically charm your panties off of you, I dare you to pick this little number up and indulge!

Definitely recommended!

Favorite Quotes

Her soft voice played over his senses like it always had, her English accent more pronounced than ever. Or was that because his ears had become acclimatized to the Australian accents around him again? 
He didn’t know.
He pulled in a slow breath, headache forgotten, the subtle scent of Emily’s perfume filtering into his body. His stomach knotted, his balls grew harder, that delicate fragrance flooding him with memories too haunting to bear. She’d cured him of anaplastic astrocytoma, and in the process inflicted him with something else. Something powerful and—he was discovering all too quickly—inescapable.

She stared at him, her heart in her throat. ‘Robert…” 
“Ah. fuck it,” he growled. blue eyes piercing her in the garden’s muted light. 1 can’t wait anymore.” He grabbed her wrist and, nostrils flaring. yanked her to his body and crushed her mouth with his.
His tongue plunged past her lips, stroking over her tongue in a kiss that was far more forceful than the one they’d shared in his hospital room fifteen days ago. That kiss had been gentle in its molten hunger. It had filled her with aching desire. This kiss, however.. .there was nothing gentle about it. He took complete possession of her mouth, invading it with not just hunger but ravenous greed. Its ferocity flooded her sex with damp pressure and made her head swim.

The raw urgency in Rob’s voice sent fresh blood flooding into Emily’s already swollen sex. She squirmed. feeling her orgasm approaching. Fast. 
“Say it again,” Rob ground out, dragging one hand up her torso until his fingers found her breast. He cupped its weight, worshipping its form through the soft fabric of her dress.
She gasped again, arching her back. “I want you,” she panted, the sensations his fingers on her breast created almost stealing her ability to speak. “I want you. I have from the very—”
He didn’t let her finish. His lips claimed hers, his hand squeezing and massaging her breast as his tongue plundered her mouth. He pinched her nipple with hungry force, his tongue matching the ferocity of the caress. Her body burned with pleasure at his feverish actions, the undeniable desire each stoke of his tongue, each flick of his fingers wrought on her body pushing her closer and closer to eruption.

She arched into his thigh, grinding herself on its solid length. another low cry escaping her as constricting tension pulsed through her core. 
“F#ck. I want to hear you come.” Rob caught her earlobe between his teeth, gave it a little nip before flicking his tongue in her ear. “I want to hear you lose control and know I’m the one that stripped it from you. His thumb stroked her nipple again, his lips scoring a languid path over her jaw and throat once more. “Show me why you’re really here, Doc,” he whispered, rubbing his thigh against her pussy with increasing rhythm, “and I will show you it was worth the f#cking trip.”

Heart pounding, he collapsed on top of her, claiming her lips with his as he did so, making love to her mouth with his tongue as his spent c#ck continued to spasm inside her p#ssy. Wanting to give her pleasure even as the steel left his length. 
She wrapped her arms around his back, tangling her legs with his as she returned his kiss. The pulsing pressure of her fading orgasm on his dick was an unbearable caress he would willingly endure until the end of time. An affirmation of the pleasure he gave her.
A confirmation of what his heart had been telling him since he’d first laid eyes on her: he was hers. Irrevocably and unquestionably.

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

[xrr rating=5/5]

Caliber Seal: OUTSTANDING READ!