Category / ARC Review

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

ARC Review: Time Out by Jill Shalvis

Format: E-booktimeout
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Blaze Publisher Series
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Mark Diego
Heroine: Rainey Saunders
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: February 19, 2012
Started On: February 11, 2012
Finished On: February 17, 2012

I am finding out that whether it be a short length or a full length novel, if it is Jill Shalvis that holds the steering wheel, there is no wrong turn the story can take. Time Out which is set to be released sometime within this month is one wild and enjoyable ride, a romance that just completely reeled me in and I couldn’t have found a better way to drop off to sleep afterwards, dreaming of a Mark that was all my own to do whatever I please with. *sigh*

Rainey Saunders has just turned thirty years old and is single, looking for that special someone. She and her best friend Lena both work at the North District Rec Center in Santa Rey, a small mid-California beach town. Rainey is a bit of a control freak, has the frizzy hair thing going for her and has a heart of gold that shines through right from the very start. She might have a hard time connecting with anyone in her dating life the way she did when she was dumb and crushing so hard on the delectable Mark Diego when she was just 16 years old. But she is way past that crush, or so she tells herself until Mark walks in, more delectable than ever, tempting her to take just a little bite out of him to satisfy all those cravings that practically fall all over themselves trying to get closer to him.

34 year old Mark Diego is the youngest, most popular NHL head coach in the country. With fame and fortune in his hands, Mark doesn’t allow himself to feel those niggling bouts of “emptiness” that hits him once in a while. Mark has always been ambitious, wanting to rise above the poverty in which he had grown up. Wanting to teach two of his players a lesson Mark makes his way towards his hometown, not at all expecting his life to take a totally unforeseen turn when he butts heads with the altogether grown up and too alluring for her own good Rainey who pierces through the rough and tough armor of his to lay siege on his heart.

The story that unfolds is what only Jill Shalvis herself can deliver. Though Rainey keeps reminding herself that she doesn’t want anything to do with Mark, her hormones keep sending the opposite signal, and time and yet again, both Mark and Rainey finds themselves in one clandestine position after the other which serves to be such a feast for the senses. There wasn’t one part of me that wasn’t clamoring to swallow Mark Diego in all his glory in one big gulp or should I say I wanted to savor him in nibbling bites so that the whole feast would last for a lifetime.

The thread of humor that is always a part of a Jill Shalvis book is there in this story as well, and the underlying issues that are much serious in nature also makes their impact on the reader as Jill takes the reader through stories of families hard hit by ravaging forest fires, abusive fathers and all that is brushed under the carpet by people who are mostly at the receiving end of such violent physical and emotional abuse.

The only thing that I was a teeny bit peeved about was the abruptness of the ending of the story. Though Jill managed to deliver that happily ever after I was clamoring for right from the very start, Mark and Rainey’s story ended a bit too hastily for my taste. But apart from that, everything in this story, and I mean everything was top notch, the type of contemporary romance that is too far and few in between these days. 

Delivering a Harlequin Blaze as it should be, Jill certainly packs a punch with Time Out. Intense and sexy as sin with characters of the caliber that only Jill can create, Time Out comes most highly recommended from the sunny side of life!

Favorite Quotes

“It’s good to see you as well,” she said, her mouth against his ear, her lips brushing the lobe.
He went still at the contact, then instead of trying to pull free, merely folded her into his arms, trapping her against him. And damn if her body didn’t burst to life, as if all this time it’d been just waiting for him to come back.
“Yeah, you’re different,” he murmured, doing as she had, pressing his mouth to her ear, giving her a shiver. “The little kitten grew up and got claws.”

At twenty-one, Mark had been long and leanly muscled, not a spare inch on him. Rainey’s gaze ran down his thirty-four-year-old body and she had to admit he was even better now. In fact, the only way to improve on that body would be to dip it into chocolate.

Her hands tightened on him. “I mean it,” she said. “We’re not doing this.”
“Define this.”
“We’re not going to be friends.”
“Deal,” he said.
“We’re not going to even like each other.”
“Obviously.”
She stared into his eyes, hers turbulent and heated. “And no more kissing—”
He swallowed her words with his mouth, delving deeply, groaning at the taste of her. He heard her answering moan, and then her arms wound tight around his neck.
And for the first time since his arrival back in Santa Rey, they were on the same page.

“Mark.” She fisted her hands in his hair and pulled his mouth to hers, her entire world anchored on his finger. When it slid inside her, she thunked her head back against the door and panted. Then his thumb brushed her in a slow circle.
She cried out against his lips, arching into him, yanking his hair. She couldn’t help it. She was going up in flames. He merely pressed her hard to the door, locking her in place. Continuing the torture, he added another finger. She came hard and fast, the power of it sweeping over her like a tidal wave. 

His gaze swept over her, hot and approving, as he lifted her up. “Wrap your legs around me— There. God, yeah, like that—” His voice was a low command, caressing her as much as his hands. “Hold on to me.” Then his mouth crushed her own as he pushed her back against the door.
She threaded her hands into his hair as he thrust deep inside of her. He made a rough sound of sheer male pleasure, his fingers digging into her soft flesh as she rocked into him. Again he thrust, slowly at first, teasing until she was begging. It was glorious torment, hot and demanding, just like the man kissing her.

The kiss ignited like a rocket flash. Not that this surprised her. Everything pertaining to Mark seemed to burn hot and fast. Frustration, lust…
His mouth was rough, hot and hungry on hers as he pulled her closer, taking control. She heard herself moan, kissing him with helpless desperation. If dessert was her usual drug of choice, it’d just been replaced because she couldn’t seem to get enough of him.

With a smug smirk, he kissed her again, then slid into her. Pleasure flooded her, so intense it arched her back and had her crying out, clutching at him. The teasing and fun vanished in a blink, replaced by something so intense she could hardly breathe. Mark’s eyes were dark and sultry, and she reared up to press her mouth to his. He took control of the kiss, making her melt into him all the more as he buried himself in her over and over, deeper, harder, faster, the entire time holding her gaze with his, letting her see everything she did to him.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Harlequin

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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

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Unwrapped by Cari Quinn

Format: E-bookunwrapped
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Loose ID
Hero: Tristan, Matthew
Heroine: Caitlyn Sachs
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: December 6, 2011
Started On: December 5, 2011
Finished On: December 5, 2011

Reading is a luxury I can barely afford these days, time wise. With my day job taking up the whole day and my new exercise regime taking up quite a patch of the time available for reading, I am too tired most nights to really concentrate on a book and see it through. But Unwrapped by Cari Quinn, which I opened up with quite a few reservations since I have never delved into a ménage themed book before kept me engrossed late into the night, my fascination for the characters, the storyline and of course Ms. Quinn’s fabulous way with the words that just refused to shake off its hold on me.

Caitlyn Sachs is about to turn 25 and has a teeny tiny problem that she wants to deal with and be done over with. Cait has always been the good girl in the family, the one her mother has always counted on to follow the rules. The fact that her childhood had been spent trying to become as different from the rest of her family as possible had led her to be one of the extraordinarily rare women to still be a virgin, and she would like nothing better than to ask one of her best friends to take care of the problem. A couple of thrusts in and out and the one she choses would be done with it is how Cait envisions the encounter would be, not really knowing the complete 180 degree turn her life would take once the cat leaps out of the proverbial bag.

Matt and Tristan have been biding their time, their love for the woman who shares their professional and personal life a visceral part of the bond that keeps them together. So when Cait stumbles upon Matt and Tristan in a position that will forever be etched onto her mind, Matt seizes the opportunity to finally make all their dreams come true knowing that either they would all come out as winners or lose a friendship that means so much to all of them.

Though I am not new to the erotica genre, I am a virgin when it comes to ménages and sex between more than two heterosexual partners. And I don’t really know how to express on what I was expecting when I delved into Cari Quinn’s latest because lets face it, if the author is Cari Quinn my response has always been “Hell yes!”. So there I was, gingerly turning the pages, as skittish as a new born colt, prepared to flee the minute things got to be too much for me. But I should have trusted Cari a bit more because underneath the very hot and well done encounters between two sexy as sin heroes and one very virginal heroine, Cari managed to give me the angst, the emotion and the conflicts that she handles so very well in her stories, something that I crave for in my romances.

As much as the off the charts scorching hot sex got to me (and believe me it did), it was the emotional impact of the novel that had me glued to the pages, foregoing sleep just so I could experience the magic that is the combination of Cait, Matt and Tristan. The complexities of such a relationship, its impact on their loved ones and other such questions I have always had about such an arrangement even long before I read this were answered and though I know that this is fiction, it was heartwarming to see Cari give all aspects of at times their complex relationship equal amounts of time and attention.

I loved both Tristan and Matt. They are both so different from one another but yet they are a case of opposites attract, their relationship forged out of their mutual desire for the woman who shares their lives, though Cait might be totally clueless at first. I loved Tristan’s intensity, the way he has that no holds barred attitude towards their sexual encounters as well as the other more complex aspects of their relationship. It is Matt who serves as the peacemaker, the one who formulates, plots and plans and kicks into gear the weekend of decadent pleasure that is initiated to win over Cait’s affection.

Cait is the glue that holds their three pillar relationship together. Though Cait might crave for “normalcy” and wants to write off their weekend as a one time thing, deep down inside she knows that without Matt and Tristan in her life, she might as well be buried six feet under. And I loved Cait’s character because she knows exactly what her two lovers want and need from each other and has the guts to prick and poke at them until they are ready to give in.
I have that first encounter between Tristan and Matt that Cait spies on etched which would be onto my mind forever. The power and restrained violence of the encounter (whew!), needless to say, I could totally become a m/m fan girl if that is what the genre entails.

Though I would always remain a m/f fan girl at heart, I am just thankful that my first attempt at reading a ménage featuring sexual acts between the two males involved didn’t scar me for life. In fact in true Cari Quinn style, Unwrapped charmed and enticed me to look beyond the surface to find out that underneath all the panty-drenching hot sex, there is ALWAYS plenty of emotion and character development happening in her novels that just makes Cari’s style of erotica unbeatable.

For those who love ménages of the m/m/f variety, Cari Quinn’s Unwrapped is definitely a treat for your senses. And for those who love their erotica not just for the sake of panty melting hot sex, Cari Quinn definitely delivers on the emotion and angst that undoubtedly makes this book a winner all around.

Favorite Quotes

Idly, he (Matt) twirled a lock of her hair. “You think I coerced him the way you obviously believe I do with women?”
“You got him into bed. Not the other way around. Right. That’s why he was inside you, ramming away.”
“You’ll learn, sweetness, that sometimes the one on the bottom isn’t any less powerful than the one on top.”

At first it was the complete antithesis of the kiss she’d shared with Matthew. That one had been crazy, emotional. Uncontrolled. This was a gentle mating of lips. Soft, sweet, and easy. He didn’t press for her to grant him access, but she gave it, opening for him with a low moan.

Trying to get himself back in line, he kissed the inside of her knee. She touched his hair, reaching down to loosen his ponytail like he’d done with hers. She brushed her fingers over the back of his neck, saying more with that one gesture than she could have with a thousand words.I want you. I trust you. I love you.

He (Tristan) pushed her onto her back and braced his arms on either side of her shoulders as he ranged his body over hers, nudging his cock against her in the most intimate way possible.
With the slightest flex, he’d be buried inside her—without a condom. And she didn’t even possess the strength to tell him no.

He (Tristan) ripped his mouth away and raised above her, his expression positively lethal despite his ragged panting. “If I didn’t love you, I’d do it and hope to God you got pregnant. Even though it would be stupid for a lot of reasons, I’d do it.” He swore and grabbed a fistful of the pillow beside them. “Christ, I can’t think when I’m around you.”

Deaf and blind to all but her pants and her hazy bluebell eyes as she rocked into bliss, he clenched her hips as if she held his life in her hands.
Like she already held his heart.

He framed her face between his palms and met her eyes. Everything inside her slid into place, key into lock. Then he lowered his head and took her mouth in a kiss that felt more like oral f#cking than it did an easy mating of lips and tongues.

Purchase Links: LooseID 

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Guarded Hearts by M. J. Fredrick

Format: E-bookguardedhearts
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Hero: Ethan Riggins
Heroine: McKenna Spencer
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: December 5, 2011
Started On: December 2, 2011
Finished On: December 3, 2011

I love books by MJ Fredrick mainly because whether it be contemporary, western historical or romantic suspense, she delivers a romance with a happy ending that clutches at your heart. Guarded Hearts is no exception to the rule and I was ecstatic to receive an ARC of this little goodie from MJ Fredrick last week. Expecting an entertaining read, I wasn’t disappointed as MJ Fredrick delivers well on the romance and the elements of suspense in this novel.

McKenna Spencer is a junior congresswoman who has her heart set on passing a children’s health care bill when her work is cut short late into one night when she receives a phone call from her father to vacate from the building. Her father who is a counterterrorist agent has reason to believe that McKenna’s life is in danger and so she is assigned with a bodyguard who is to stick to her like glue, whether it be night or day.

From the first encounter itself, though McKenna might try telling herself otherwise, she is drawn to the man behind the compellingly good looks, a man who makes her female colleagues’ heads turn just by being in the same room as them. For Ethan Riggins, the mission spells trouble from the start as his immediate attraction to McKenna is a forbidden one on so many levels. But that doesn’t stop him from slowly going out of his mind with wanting McKenna and the answering flare of desire in McKenna’s eyes makes it doubly hard for him to remember why getting tangled up with McKenna is such a bad idea.

Filled with bullet riddled moments one minute and heart thumping variety of over the charts sizzling hot encounters between McKenna and Ethan the next, MJ Fredrick delivers a novel that is hard to put down. And in between all those tense and delicious moments, MJ Fredrick manages to give her characters life, a past which tugs at the reader’s heartstrings and moments of tenderness between the two protagonists that just makes this an awesome piece of romance.

Ethan Riggins was just ultra yummy. I don’t think there is any other word that could describe as effectively what he made me feel throughout the story. He is not superman who switches over to total robot mode in seconds but he is lethal and dangerous when he puts his mind to it, a mind that strays far too much for his liking when McKenna is around. His ability to totally focus on one thing makes him a total hottie, especially so when he turns all that attention on McKenna. And MJ Fredrick certainly knows what she is doing with her tattooed heroes as Ethan too has tattoes on him that would make even a sensible woman swoon.

McKenna is a heroine who has had not the happiest childhood. As a junior congresswoman, her work is her sole focus, and it suites her well enough until Ethan comes strolling into her life. Though she thinks that Ethan is not the one for her, her heart and other vulnerable emotions sing his name, wanting him to be the one who lays claim on her heart and soul. She is stubborn, gorgeous and has a big heart that refuses to back down even when cornered, especially when she has a particular goal that she is working towards. I loved her sense of humor and the fact that she could bring a smile to Ethan’s face just made me a fan of hers all throughout.

Guarded Hearts by MJ Fredrick is a novel that attests to the author’s ability to deliver a well rounded tale of romantic suspense, with two protagonists who would stay with you even long afterwards. Recommended for fans of romantic suspense and fans of MJ Fredrick.

Favorite Quotes

He remained still for a moment, not long enough for her to wonder if she’d made a mistake. Then he took charge, wrapping his arms around her, cupping his hand over the back of her head, loosening her hair from its style so it tumbled against her sensitized skin. His lips were firm, like the rest of him, and demanding, his tongue stroking along her bottom lip and into her mouth. His breath came hot and heavy against her cheek, and his erection pressed against her hip. Raindrops fell from his skin to hers, and she marveled that she could feel the warmth of him in those drops.

Holding his gaze, she lifted her hips to bring him inside her.
He choked out a groan as he buried himself deep, his body pressed against hers, his length filling her, stretching her, more delicious than she’d imagined. He moved in long, sure strokes, deep, measured.
Controlled. Focused.

He lifted his head, lifted her thighs, and plunged into her, deeper, harder than before. He lowered his mouth to the curve of her throat, lips pulling, teeth scraping as he closed his hands over her hips and opened her wider, thrusting deeper. He sat back on his heels and pulled her over him, guiding her, his mouth slamming down on hers, the kiss verging on violent, his fingers tight on her ass and she came again, locking her legs about his hips, holding him deep inside as pleasure rippled through her.

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis

Format: E-bookheadoverheels
Read with: iBooks for iPhone
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Lucky Harbor, Book 3
Publisher: Forever
Hero: Sawyer Thompson
Heroine: Chloe Traeger
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: November 22, 2011
Started On: November20, 2011
Finished On: November 22, 2011

Jill Shalvis has done it yet again. With a cast of heartwarming and sometimes quirky characters, she has done a splendid job in bringing to life the story of my two favorite protagonists from the Lucky Harbor series. Jax Cullen and his toolbelt (yep, still talking about that one every chance I get), just might have to move over and make room for the big, brawny and hotter-than-sin-in-uniform, bad-boy turned Sheriff of Lucky Harbor Sawyer Thompson.

If the reaction of fellow readers of the Lucky Harbor series is anything to go by, the story of Chloe Traeger aka the wild one and the youngest of the siblings and the stoic Sawyer is the one story that has been anticipated by fans ever since the publication of the first book in the series. There is nothing like the sparks that fly between two direct opposites, who somehow eventually find that amongst the differences lie similarities between them which bind them together, especially with the hotter than fire sexual tension that ALWAYS seems a constant whenever they are together.

Sawyer is a man with a tainted past; a fact for which he has been trying to atone for, for a long time. Curbing the wild side which had gotten him into more trouble than he would rather remember, it is no wonder that Chloe with her free spirited nature clash more than once, with enough sparks flying between the two of them to singe a passerby. Sawyer might not like to admit the fact that when it comes to Chloe, his legendary cool is a distant memory, and for Chloe whose gypsy-style upbringing makes it hard for her to curb the wild streak which forever seems to land her in trouble with the sexy Sheriff, saying no is not even an option.

With her sisters Tara and Maddie, for the very first time ever, Chloe feels the stirrings of belonging and makes her long for the stability that comes with being rooted to one place. But her wild adventures makes her have to work hard to turn the image around, to win the trust of her sisters and in the process falls hard and fast for Sawyer who just makes her panties melt with one well placed scorching glance.

I loved every single thing about the 3rd book in the Lucky Harbor series. It was so much fun to see how Tara and Maddie are faring, especially Maddie who always seems to be caught in one clandestine position or the other with her fiance Jax. The most heartwarming factor of these novels of course is the relationship that seems to develop and foster right in front of your eyes when it comes to the three sisters who would never have come together if it wasn’t for their mother’s will.

Next comes my absolute favorite part of the novel to talk about. And you get 3 lucky guesses, which I am betting with everything I have that it wouldn’t be hard for anyone to guess. The uber sexy Sawyer of course who just manages to melt me on the spot with his gruff and tough nature beneath which lies a heart of gold that just made me fall head over heels in love with him right from the very beginning. And Jill has certainly achieved her goal of giving Gena the big, tough and stoic hero whom she asked for; because I for one loved every big, tough and stoic inch of him to pieces. I am telling you, there were moments in the novel that I thought if Sawyer were to get any more sexier, spontaneous human combustion wouldn’t remain a myth much longer!

Chloe is not one to be missed out on either. She is the type of hero who would just melt your heart because she is this endearing mix of wildness together with a deep yearning in her heart to belong, to be needed and to feel. With Sawyer she finds that she feels much, much more than she has ever felt with anyone, that explosive orgasm in the shower one of the best parts of the novel. How Sawyer and Chloe take care of each other with those little things that mean so darn much; needless to say Jill completely won me over with their story.

Heartwarming, toe-curlingly sexy, endearing and a whole lot of fun in between, Head Over Heels is a must read for any fan of contemporary romances and of course for the fans of Lucky Harbor series.

Favorite Quotes

“If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.”  – Chloe Traeger

He was in uniform, gun at his hip, expression dialed to Dirty Harry, and just looking at him had something pinging low in Chloe’s belly.

She didn’t understand it, but everything about him reminded her that she was a woman.

“If things don’t seem right, try going left.” – Chloe Traeger

“Why was man created before woman? Because you always need a rough draft before the final copy.” – Chloe Traeger

Heat skittered through her belly, then directly south. “Sawyer.”
In answer, he brought his head up and kissed her. Deep, hungry, tasting her in a purposely slow, thorough manner before pulling back to once again look into her eyes.
Oh, God. “Sawyer, what are we doing?” she whispered.
He shook his head. “No f#cking clue.”

She nodded, her gaze locked on his mouth. He could tell she wanted it on hers, and for once, they were perfectly in sync. Having no idea what he was doing, he kissed her again, another no-holds-barred, tongues tangling, rock-his-fucking-world kiss that left him staggered and her apparently unable to speak as they tore apart for air and waited for the world to right itself.
Didn’t happen.

“Just when you think you’ve hit rock bottom, someone’ll throw you a shovel.” – Chloe Traeger

“I’ve always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific.” – Chloe Traeger

“I don’t want to scare the guests with a big old guard dog,” Tara protested.
“Safety is far more important than worrying about what anyone else thinks,” Sawyer told her.
“You’re right, of course.” Tara looked at her sisters. “We’ll think about both an alarm and a dog.”
“We can borrow Izzy from Jax,” Maddie said.
“Sure,” Tara said. “And she can lick the next bad guy to death.”

Odd how one man could evoke so many emotions within her. Lust? Oh yeah, much of the time. The urge to smack him upside the back of his head? Yep, that was often there, too. Affection? She’d have said no. He didn’t need her affection, everyone admired and loved Sawyer, who was just about the most composed, self-assured, capable man she’d ever met.
But there was something suspiciously close to affection filling her now, which had her shaking her head at herself.

“The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the ability to reach it.” – Chloe Traeger

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Icebound by Julie Rowe

Format: E-bookicebound
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Tom Wolinski
Heroine: Dr. Emilie Saunderson
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: November 14, 2011
Started On: November 11, 2011
Finished On: November 12, 2011

Icebound is the story that delivered me from the recent bout of doldrums that I have been suffering from in the world of romanceldia. From the opening page itself, Julie Rowe managed to entice me into turning the next page to find more on what Icebound could deliver.

Dr. Emilie Saunderson makes her way to the South Pole to finish the research her husband had been doing before his sudden death that still torments Emilie one year on. Still grieving over the loss of David and their unborn child, Emilie is betting on the isolation of working in the most stark, cold and barren place the Earth could provide to bring her the closure that she seeks.

However, all her dreams of keeping her problems to herself and working her way through dies an early death when she meets the sexy Tom Wolinski, the South Pole Station manager. Her attraction towards him is an immediate one which makes Emilie question her sanity and of course makes her feel guilty enough to question whether one year after the death of David is a bit too soon to move on.

But life in Antarctica demands from people a lot more than one’s average workplace and Emilie realizes that all too soon when the harsh environment plays havoc with the lives of more than one of their team members. And through it all, Emilie’s feelings towards Tom continues to grow though Tom makes it clear right from the very start that he is not a man for long term relationships.

Icebound is a great contemporary romance told from Emilie’s point of view, Julie Rowe’s ability to draw in the reader an obvious one right from the very start. Tom  turned out to such a devastatingly sexy and alluring hero though his point of view is not given in the novel, his tortured nature making me remember Callum from Lauren’s Eyes by Norah Wilson.

I fell in love with Emilie right from the start because she accepts Tom for who he is right from the very beginning. Tom is someone who firmly believes that there is no good that resides inside of him and that there is no way he is fit to be any woman’s partner on a long term basis. But in Emilie he finds a woman who is strong enough to accept the good with the bad and someone who is patient enough to give him the time and support needed to overcome his fear of himself.

I loved those tidbits about the harsh reality that is life in Antarctica that Julie brings so vividly to life right from the very start. The romance between Tom and Emilie is a believable and compelling one at that and the story with just enough extra fodder to make it a great read.

Recommended for fans of contemporary romances in unique settings; Antarctica being one of the most unique settings one can get.

Loved the romance, the characters and the ending though an epilogue would have been a nice touch to make this a fantastic one!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Carina Press

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Hide from Evil by Jami Alden

Format: E-bookhidefromevil
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Trilogy, Book 2
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Hero: Sean Flynn
Heroine: Krista Slater
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: November 1, 2011
Started On: October 30, 2011
Finished On: October 30, 2011

Hide from Evil is the second book in an untitled trilogy by Jami Alden, the first book of which skyrocketed its way towards my favorites book shelf earlier this year. If you are tempted to pick this one up, not that you can’t read this as a standalone, but in my opinion you definitely need to read book 1 first to experience the full impact of the story as it unfolds and for you to be invested in the characters and the outcome of their happily ever after as much as I have been ever since finding out about the expected release date of this book.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Krista Slater is a woman on a mission. Krista who has a vision of her working her way towards the top of the Prosecutor’s Office, always sticking to the rules and never straying from them finds herself wallowing in a conflicting mass of guilt and regret when she finds out that she has wrongly prosecuted and sent an innocent man to the death row. It had only been the tenacious work of Sean Flynn’s sister Megan who had refused to give up on her brother against all odds that had brought to light the actual killer who had neatly tricked everyone into believing that Sean had been the Seattle Slasher.

Refusing to put the case to rest though Sean has walked away a free man, something about the case and its loose ends pricks and prods at Krista until she uses her own resources to find out whether there could be more to the Seattle Slasher case than everyone had originally thought. Her digging opens up a can of worms that she never comprehends, putting her and Sean in the path of a powerful family who would do anything and everything in their power to keep the secrets that they hide from ever seeing the light of day.

The last thing Sean expects is for Krista to turn up out of the blue and make him confront all those feelings that he has bottled up inside, having numbed himself for the past three years of his life because remembering the past just causes him nothing but endless grief, rage and pain. But Sean’s dormant libido seems to have its own agenda when it comes to the classically beautiful and reserved Krista, behind whose propriety lies a wicked sense of humor that cracks through his numbness right from the very start.

Though Krista knows that she shouldn’t let her wayward hormones rule when it comes to Sean, she can’t help but be drawn towards the man buried deep inside the mass of seething resentment that she had previously seen and brushed aside as the egoistic mannerisms of a psychotic killer. But as passion bursts forth and refuses to be denied in its quest to be fulfilled, neither Sean nor Krista is powerful enough to deny each other the need that they have for the other.

As a nationwide manhunt ensues for both Sean and Krista with no way of finding out whom they can trust, the harder they dig their quest leads them to places neither expected, forcing both Sean and Krista to face their changing feelings towards each other as the clock ticks towards the hour of reckoning.

Hide from Evil though a bit toned down in the darker aspects that we come across in Beg for Mercy is still a book of the unputdownable variety. Sean Flynn was everything that I had imagined him to be in my mind and I damn near swallowed my tongue from salivating over his tortured hotness that just about seeps through the words each and every single time he comes into the picture. His desire for Krista that spills over the tight control he holds over all his emotions was one of the best aspects of the story, his resentment towards the woman who helped put him behind bars no match for the red haze of lust and need that nearly blindsides him with its ferocity.

Krista is a heroine basically carved out for my favorite heroines shelf. She is beautiful & smart with a heart of gold, a woman who has the best of intentions at heart and whose truthful nature forces her to face the one mistake she has made in her career and put it to rights. It was the way she seemed to understand Sean, the fears that he battles with each and everyday of his life since he walked out of prison and the way that she wants him with that a no holds barred passion that makes her the type of heroine that I just adore.

Once again, I loved how Jami seems to know just in which direction to steer the story forward, when to bring in the action and when to bring in those intricate details about the past events that teases the memory to recall what happened in book 1 of the trilogy. The scenes of passion between Sean and Krista are of the scorching hot variety, not overly erotic but with just enough action to really make one heat up as you read along. Paving the way for book 3, Run from Fear which is to come out early next year starring the sexy ex-Green Beret Jack Brooks that I just know is going to invade my heart as soon as I get my hands on the story, though Beg for Mercy proved to be a tough act to follow, Jami Alden comes darn close in delivering what the reader expects from her in this second installment.

A taut, gripping novel of suspense with underlying sexual tension hot enough to keep the adrenaline pumping; Hide from Evil is another superb installment in Jami Alden’s unbeatable trilogy of dark romantic suspense!

Favorite Quotes

(Sean) “The therapist calls it cleithrophobia.”
“That sounds like a fear of something else,” Krista snorted before she could stop herself. She bit her lip, as shame washed through her.
Sean turned, his startled laughter sounding rusty as it erupted from his chest. “No, I’m definitely not scared of that.”

Like punch through the brick wall he’d built around himself and give in to the sudden, desperate urges to touch, to taste, to feel. Krista Fucking Slater. Of all the women in the world, why was she the only one who managed to remind him he was still alive in a way no one had been able to in three long years?

“Jesus, you’re beautiful,” he murmured and she felt the warmth of his breath on her face and yes, he was going to kiss her. His mouth came down on hers, hot and fierce. She parted her lips and licked into his mouth, loving the way he shuddered and groaned at the contact.
Her response was fast, ferocious, startling in its intensity. One kiss and she was fired up, more turned on than she could ever remember being.

(Sean) “Sometimes the system fails. And sometimes you have to break the rules to get what you want.”

“I wish I could tell you this was all just because I’m desperate and horny, making up for lost time after being locked up.” He slid his palm under the hem of her T-shirt, groaning at the feel of warm, smooth skin. “It would be so much easier if that was all this was.” He cupped a breast and flicked a nipple through the silk of her bra, loving the way it jumped to immediate attention against the pad of his thumb.
“There hasn’t been anyone,” he said between kisses. “I haven’t wanted anyone. I’ve been walking around like I’m dead inside and then you show up.” He couldn’t keep the edge out of his voice, angry at his own lack of control. Like she needed anything more on him, but he couldn’t keep himself from spilling his guts. “All of a sudden all I can think about is how you smell, how you might taste.” He sucked her tongue into his mouth for emphasis. “How soft your skin would feel.” He whipped her shirt over her head and slid his hands down the smooth line of her back, down the curve of her waist and hip.

He smelled like sweat and sex and Sean, a potent combination that made her want to hold him here inside her and never let him go.

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Behind the Scenes by Natalie J. Damschroder

Format: E-bookbehindthescenes
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Rogan St. James
Heroine: Kennedy Smyth
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 31, 2011
Started On: October 24, 2011
Finished On: October 27, 2011

Behind the Scenes By Natalie J. Damschroder is the second novel by Natalie that I have tried out, which is set to release from Carina Press on the 31st of this month. Though I have managed to read just two of her novels, there is a theme that rings constant in both her books – you get heroines of the kick-ass variety that drive the story forward and heroes who are a bit laid back than the usual alpha heroes that we all clamor for.

Kennedy Smyth is the owner of  SmythShield, a small security company focused exclusively on projects with a humanitarian goal. It had been the death of her beloved brother working in one such project that had kickstarted Kennedy’s efforts and it had taken her 10 years to bring SmythShield to its current level and status. 

When Kennedy receives a request to monitor the security of the movie shoot of Coming of Day because of terrorist threats that a few selective members of the cast and the director of the film has been receiving, Kennedy’s first impulse is to say no and take on a project more related to what she usually handles. But in the end, Kennedy says yes and finds out that she had completely underestimated the level and focus of the threats that have been following in the wake of the shootings since the beginning.

When the handsome and sexy movie star Rogan St. James comes into the picture, Kennedy has no interest whatsoever in pursuing the curl of desire that leaps forth within her. A woman focused on her work and the pressure that it brings to her life is who Kennedy is and she has no intention of  changing that anytime soon.

Rogan is a laid back version of alpha heroes who doesn’t get as much time as I would have liked in the story. But the scenes that he does appear in, he does make them count and I think Rogan’s brand of laid back persuasiveness was exactly what Kennedy needed in order for her to see that sacrificing her whole life for the greater good of mankind isn’t all there is to living.

Kennedy who hates showing any sort of vulnerability knows that the first time in ten long years she is in danger of doing just that when bit by bit Rogan invades her thoughts, dreams, desires and then her life until the threats start focusing on the object of her affection. Though Kennedy tries her hardest to keep Rogan at bay, Rogan seems equally determined to do the opposite leaving her with no choice but to embrace his love in the end.

Behind the Scenes is very much an action driven suspense novel with bits of romance thrown in. Kennedy is a tough heroine, who makes it really hard for anyone to get close to her; her worst nightmare being that if she gets close to someone, he or she might be the target of enemies that she has accumulated over the past years. Her focus and intensity when it comes to the job at hand is awe-inspiring and humbling at the same time.

Rogan though he doesn’t play an overly major role in the story, turned out to be an endearing and sexy hero whose intention of never getting involved with an actress or a woman whose too driven goes up in flames when his attraction towards Kennedy develops into something much more than he ever envisioned. It is how Rogan seems to know exactly when to advance and retreat with Kennedy that seals the deal with her. Rogan has reserves of patience and of course the wisdom to let Kennedy be true to herself even when circumstances look pretty harrowing.

I liked the overall premise and the setting of the story. A female heading an exclusive security firm is a novel concept and the constant danger and action that is seamlessly integrated into the story makes for a compelling read. Though I felt that the romance aspect of the novel didn’t get an equal amount of attention as the suspense part, Behind the Scenes still managed to keep me turning the pages. I felt that unveiling who the villain turned out to be took just a tad longer than necessary because by the time the story hits the last couple of chapters it is pretty obvious who the villain is.

Rated as good read, Behind the Scenes by Natalie J. Damschroder is recommended for those who love action driven suspense novels with kick-ass heroines leading the story.

Favorite Quotes

He propped his hands on his hips, shook his head slightly and turned his gaze from the front of the building to meet her eyes, dead on. “It sounds ridiculous, but I want you to have dinner with me. Since we have an early night.”
Those truths clamored louder. She shook her head.
“Why not?”
“I don’t have time, Rogan.” […]
“You don’t have time to eat?” he asked.
Kennedy blew out a breath. “I don’t have time for dating games.”
“Good, neither do I.”
“Then what’s this?”
He let go of her and lifted his shoulders, hands out. “Flirtation?”
Something intangible popped, and the tension faded. She smiled. “I expected you to say foreplay.”  

Rogan caught her hand just before she got out of his reach, and tugged her slowly back toward him. His eyes met hers, and she realized just how good an actor he’d been for the last few days. Where before she saw mild interest, now she saw intensity. Need.
Purpose.
He put his hand on the back of her head and dipped down for the kiss she’d daydreamed.

[Rogan] “I’ve been watching you, and you’re more confident and decisive than any woman I’ve ever known. There’s no pretense to you. No concern that what you’re doing is the wrong thing, or that you’re not doing it right.”
“And you don’t like those traits in a woman?”
“I do. I didn’t know that until I found them.”   

What he’d wanted before had crumbled away, leaving the truth of what Kennedy did to him. It was new, and there was a long way to go before it could be right, but that was the path he wanted to take. 

She stepped forward into the shadows with him and took his hand. “What do you want from us, Rogan?”
He shuddered with the force of his expelled breath and intertwined his fingers with hers. “I’m not sure.” He brought their hands to his lips and rested them there, not kissing or licking or being seductive, just touching. “I think I want it all. I’ve barely kissed you, but I already know it won’t be enough. Even sex won’t be enough. You’re deep in my system.”

Purchase Links: Barnes&Noble | Carina Press | BooksOnBoard

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: The Heart of a Killer by Jaci Burton

Format: E-booktheheartofakiller
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: The Killer, Book 1
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Hero: Dante Renaldi
Heroine: Anna Pallino
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 18, 2011
Started On: October 21, 2011
Finished On: October 22, 2011

Sixteen year old Anna Pallino is attacked  in a dark alley and a heart carved on her chest, an assault that haunts her by the sheer brutality and unexpectedness of it. It is only by the intervention of her then boyfriend Dante and his foster brothers Jeff, Roman and Gabe that she escapes with her life intact. But that dark dreary night changes Anna and the relationship she has with the guys she considers as her brothers apart from Dante. When Dante ups and leaves without looking back, Anna is left to lick her wounds in private, battle the fears that seems a part of her since the life altering moment in the alley.

Twelve years later, Dante returns back to his hometown only to bring in his wake the murder of his foster father, in a manner eerily similar to the night of the attack on Anna that had changed Dante’s life for better or worse. The version of Dante that returns is a more lethal and dangerous one, one who has honed the skill of killing down to a fine art. When Dante comes face to face with the newer and harder version of Anna who has been a cop for the past 7 years, Dante knows that his memories of the one woman who had remained in his heart doesn’t do justice to the impact she still has on his heart, body and soul.

With a killer who is willing to play hide and seek with Anna, taunting her with the murders of those dear and close to her, Dante is determined that he would stick by her side and be there for her, a chance he never had 12 years earlier. But what Dante and Anna never figure out is that  the killer is much closer to home than any of them dared to think of, and he is willing to do everything in his power to come out as the winner in this game of cat and mouse that just never seems to end.

The Heart of a Killer is my first Jaci Burton. I have always heard that she writes romances high in sensual content and that was what I expected to find together with suspense of the dark and edgy variety. Though there are moments of toe-curling passion in the book, Jaci Burton seems to have toned down with the sensual aspect of the book and brought out more of the crime-solving aspect. Nevertheless it is obvious that Jaci has got what it takes to deliver a healthy dose of sensuality in her romances and I loved how Dante was patient enough and understanding enough to give Anna exactly what she needs when it comes to physical intimacy.

Dante is a hero who is sweet and dangerous all at the same time. The way he is willing to forgo his wants and needs just because he wants what is best for Anna, and the way he is protective without being overly stifling about it makes him such an endearing character. And though I liked Anna’s character well enough, I just didn’t fall for her as I should have. Anna’s strength and the way she continually battles her fears made me admire her, but I just didn’t feel the “love” when it came to Anna.

The mystery and suspense potion of the story is well done. The person who turned out to be the killer at the end totally surprised me as I was betting everything I had on the wrong person all along. Even then, I felt that at times there was too much rehashing going on of the events that had taken place in the past which diminished my enjoyment factor with the novel as a whole.

Even with certain aspects of the story that didn’t quite wow me, I still managed to enjoy my first Jaci Burton and would rate this as a good read, recommended for fans of the author and fans of police procedural romantic suspense.

Favorite Quotes

She hated that he was here, messing up her life, making her want things she’d wanted for a long time, then pushed to the back of her mind, forcing herself to forget.
She inhaled the scent of him. Big mistake, because God help her, she wanted to put her hands on him, and in that moment she realized the feelings she had for him weren’t dead.

She threw her hands in the air. “Of course I was tense. You were kissing and touching me and I was turned on like crazy. Also, I haven’t had a decent orgasm in like six freaking months. Are you reading my lips here? Six. Months. You’d be tense, too, wouldn’t you?”
Dante gaped at her. Anna threw him a murderous glare.
“Are all men this dense or just you? Jesus, Dante, do I have to draw you a road map to my vagina, or are you grabbing a clue?”

There was no way she could rock against him, filled with him, and not be affected. This wasn’t a quick coupling in the dark—it was no-holds-barred, lights-on, open-eyed lovemaking with a man who wouldn’t accept anything less than her total surrender.