Category / Brooding Hero

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Woman on the Run by Lisa Marie Rice

Format: E-bookwomanontherun
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Sam Cooper
Heroine: Julia Devaux
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: October 1, 2005
Started On: June 10, 2011
Finished On: June 11, 2011

Julia Devaux finds herself in the mother of all fixes when she witnesses a mob hit and becomes a valuable witness who could put away the dangerous Joey Capruzzo behind bars for a good long time. However that also means that one seriously rich and pissed off Capruzo is after her pretty little head served on a platter which would mean another failed attempt by the US government  to indict him.

A book worm and film buff at the core, though Julia has lived a life of moving from one place to the other with her parents always on the move, she is not at all prepared to change into a Sally Anderson, a second grade school teacher in the middle of nowhere in Simpson, Idaho. With her life turned completely upside down, Julia is one step away from just simply sitting down and wailing at the winds when things take an interesting turn and she starts having an unholy fascination for anything to do with the tall, strong and silent Sam Cooper who turns up on her doorstep most unexpectedly.

Ex-Navy SEAL, Sam is a man who finds himself in serious trouble when the delectable new teacher in Idaho leaves him with a raging hard-on for the first time in almost two years. Sam’s past and the famous Cooper curse makes him a wary man on all counts. On top of all that, Sam is not a man who has much inclination to talk which has him sweating buckets when it comes to wooing and seducing the one woman whom he wants more than his next breath.

With a whopping figure of two million on her head, Julia is far from safe even in a no name town such as Simpson when it brings out a killer most cunning who will do anything to find out and kill Julia, all for the luxury the money for the kill would bring.

Whe Sam finds out that Julia, the woman who has turned his life and that of his town around is a woman on the run, there is no stopping him from pulling out all the stops in protecting the one woman who means the world to him. Towards the end, the cunning killer almost wins in putting Julia six feet under until Sam arrives to the rescue with just seconds to spare.

I loved Woman on the Run by Lisa Marie Rice as this turned out to be refreshingly different from the rest of her novels I have read to date. I say different because of the take on humor this story has which had me laughing out loud in several places when Julia’s quirky sense of self-depreciating humor along with the small town life comes into play.

From the aspect of the hero and the trademark LMR sensuality, this book is another winner with Sam being the uber-alpha and the protective kind whose want and need for Julia goes beyond anything describable. Julia is an endearing heroine whom I loved from the start of the novel though she sounds a bit confused of what she wants and needs at the beginning of the story. The villain when brought to light turned out to be the biggest shocker rendering this as one of the most enjoyable romantic suspense by the author. For me the best part of the epilogue of the story which takes place 4 years later turned out to be how different a man Sam is towards the end. And I would love to point it out that the overly descriptive narrations that annoyed me in Hotter than Wildfire which I reviewed earlier were non-existent in this one, making it earn a whopping 5 stars from the sunny side of life!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Ellora’s Cave 

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Hotter than Wildfire by Lisa Marie Rice

Format: E-bookhotterthanwildfire
Read with: Kindle for I-Phone
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Protectors, Book 2
Publisher: Avon Red
Hero: Harry Bolt
Heroine: Ellen Palmer
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: April 5, 2011
Started On: June 7, 2011
Finished On: June 10, 2011

Book 2 in the Protector series didn’t wow me as much as its predecessor did. But nevertheless Lisa Marie Rice still managed to hold my undivided attention as I delved into the story of Harry Bolt, someone who has a very painful past from which he still has recurring nightmares.

34 year old Harry is one of the 3 “blood” brothers that own RBK Security. Having served in the army and with enough scars to last for a lifetime, Harry’s savior comes in the form of the sweet and sultry voice of the mystery singer only known as Eve. By a twist of fate it is Ellen Palmer i.e. Eve herself  who makes her way to seek the services of RBK Security who specializes in helping out beaten and battered up women fleeing for their lives with nowhere else to turn to.

For someone who believes that nothing in this world could surprise him anymore, that is exactly what Harry feels when he discovers that the scared red haired beauty in front of him who has awoken his dormant libido after two years is none other than the goddess whose voice it had been that had led him out of the shit hole his life had been in back then.

Once Harry claims Eve as his, there is no turning back for either of them as heady passion stronger than anything describable takes hold of them delivering sensuous scenes of love that is trademark Lisa Marie Rice.

As with most of her stories, the bad guys are vicious in their intent and actions and nothing short of Eve’s death would stop them. As the bad guys pull all the stops to find out where Eve is in hiding, Eve finds herself in a cocoon of love, warmth and friendship which she fears would shatter if she stays around too long. Its touch and go during the last showdown with the bad guys and once again Mike, Sam and Harry work together to save the one woman who lights up Harry in more ways than one.

As I said earlier, though I didn’t love this one as much as I did Sam and Nicole’s story, nevertheless I still loved Harry as a hero. Strong and uber protective, Harry is enough to melt any woman on the inside because of his caring nature. And I loved seeing glimpses of Sam and Nicole in this one and of course the two very beautiful epilogues at the end of the second one which takes place a year later hopefully signals the beginning of Mike’s story.

As some readers have pointed out, I too have problems with how Ms. Rice tends to go a tad overboard with her descriptions making it a bit tiresome to tread through the repetitive material to find the actual story beneath it. But, being a huge fan of Ms. Rice, I’m willing to look beyond that into the story and would rate this as a great read worth your time if you love Lisa Marie Rice or if you love romantic suspense with an all-out alpha who would literally make you swoon as you get to know him. And I have to warn you, this one’s got a pretty powerful prologue to it that may just require you keep a wad of tissues handy.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Backstage Pass by Olivia Cunning

Format: E-bookbackstagepass
Read with: Kindle for iPhone
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Sinners on Tour, Book 1
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Hero: Brian Sinclair
Heroine: Dr. Myrna Evans
Sensuality: 4.9
Date of Publication: October 1, 2010
Started On: June 5, 2011
Finished On: June 7, 2011

In the debut novel of this one of a kind erotic series entitled Sinners on Tour, author Olivia Cunning introduces us to the decadent world of rock, glory, lust and love that makes up the world of the rock n’ roll music group known as the Sinners.

With 5 members to their group, the series kicks off with the story of Brian Sinclair who carries the stage name ‘Master Sinclair’ and meets his match in human sexuality professor Dr. Myrna Evans.

35 year old Myrna has a painful past from which she still suffers. Marriage to an alcoholic and the preceding divorce which had turned ugly has left its mark on Myrna who wants nothing more than the mindless oblivion the passion between her and Brian provides.

7 years younger than Myra, Brian is a romantic to his very soul who finds his muse as well as the love of his life in Myra. However convincing her that they are meant to be together in every sense of the way might take just more out of Brian than he ever foresaw.

The one thing that struck me the most when it came to Backstage Pass is how Olivia Cunning brings the whole rock scene alive in her story. The stage performances, the lives that each member lives behind the scenes and the roadies that accompany them all together made me feel as if I were part of the story instead of being on the outside looking in.

I found each and every single character that made his or her entrance into the book fascinating in their own right. Though Myrna tended to get on my nerves a time or two I liked her well enough and flat-out adored Brian for his caring as well as dreamy nature. As most female readers would agree, Sed proves to be a character that I found myself drawn towards and thankfully his story has already come out which I will pursue as soon as I find some free time.

Olivia Cunning has definitely penned an erotic romance series well worth checking out, delivering on all sorts of kinky as well as good old fashioned sexual content highly sensual in nature. Though I admit to have skimmed through a couple of the sex scenes because some of them weren’t really for me, fans of erotica who like variety in their sexual content would definitely love this one.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Yours To Keep by Shannon Stacey

Format: E-bookYourstokeep
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Kowalski Family, Book 3
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Sean Michael Kowalski
Heroine: Emma Shaw
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: June 6, 2011
Started On: May 28, 2011
Finished On: May 28, 2011

Yours to Keep is the 3rd book in the Kowalski Family series by the very talented Shannon Stacey. Though this is my very first book by Ms. Stacey, I had no trouble identifying with the fact that she can deliver a fantastic romance, and this one definitely makes it into the list of my favorite reads for 2011. This book is going to follow the I-Review format which I introduced earlier and would follow a question and answer format which will hopefully do justice to the wonderful romance this delivered – in spades.

You: What made you pick up Yours to Keep?

MBR: I have always heard good things about Shannon Stacey though I have never had the opportunity to try out her work prior to this. You can always blame it on the hundreds of new books that find their way into my TBR pile (sneaky things these books). And this time when I found Yours to Keep up for grabs on Netgalley I didn’t hesitate to procure a copy and here I am grinning from ear to ear and nearly purring in complete satisfaction at the end. And of course, fellow blogger Pearl’s fantastic 5-star rating of the book helped things along as well.

You: Tell us a little bit about the hero Sean Kowalski.

MBR: Sean Michael Kowalski finally returns home for good after having served the army for the past 12 years. With blue eyes and a smile that can do serious damage to a woman’s insides, the one thing that Sean wants is to have the freedom for the first time in his life to do whatever he wants before even contemplating about settling down.

You: Now tell us a little bit about the heroine Emma Shaw.

MBR: The owner of Landscaping by Emma, Emma Shaw is an only child who was brought up her grandmother Catherine Shaw after the death of her parents at the age of 4. Emma has her roots tied down in New Hampshire, owns a business doing something that she loves and her only discontentment arises from the fact that her grandmother who finally managed to move to Florida still keeps on worrying about Emma. Whilst Emma doesn’t see the harm in conjuring up an imaginary live in boyfriend to keep her grandmother placated, what she doesn’t realize is the fact that it is indeed a tangled web one weaves when they intend to deceive.

You: How does Sean and Emma meet for the first time?

MBR: Sean and Emma’s first meeting is a memorable one in the story. Sean has just arrived at his cousin Kevin’s place where he would be crashing for the duration of his stay when Emma turns up on his doorstep claiming that she is his fiancée and tries enlisting his help in playing make-believe engaged couple with her for the duration of her grandmother’s upcoming visit. Though Sean thinks Emma to be tall, hot and batshit crazy in that very order, that doesn’t stop him wanting to say yes to Emma’s offer or prevent his body from hungering for hers in the worst way possible.

You: What was it that drew you into the story with Yours to Keep?

MBR: Even though I have never sampled Shannon Stacey’s work prior to this, I totally fell for her style of writing which drew me in right from the very beginning. I loved the concept of the story which was one of the reasons that had me saying Yes to Yours to Keep in the first place and it is the way that Ms. Stacey pulls the right emotions from the reader at every turn that had me reading this in one sitting, something that rarely happens these days.

You: What was it that you liked about Yours to Keep?

MBR: I am someone who ALWAYS loves a good contemporary romance. Throw in a hotter than sin ex-military hero whose vocabulary at the moment does not have any room for the word permanence in it, and a heroine who is his match in every way possible; call me fickle but I love the way two people who aren’t looking for love find it in the last place they are looking for.

I loved a lot of things about this delectable contemporary starting from Sean who is definitely hot enough to melt any woman to a puddle of goo in mere seconds. His whole character starting from his sinfully good looks to the way he tries so hard to keep his desire in check where Emma is concerned made him a hero I enjoyed in every way possible.

And then there is Emma, who has her heart set in the right place but doesn’t know what hits her when her “fake” fiancée turns out to be the real thing. Emma is loyal and intense to Sean’s laid-back attitude and the way that she is unafraid to grab whatever it is that is simmering between her and Sean made me root for her even more!

I loved all the side characters, some of whose stories of happily ever afters have already been told, lending Yours to Keep that extra edge which was why in the end it ended up in my list of favorite reads for 2011.

The sexual tension between Emma and Sean was sizzling hot at all times, the combustive culmination of their surrender that much more sweeter because of the fact. And I absolutely fell in love with Sean the moment he started leaving little bits of notes for Emma all around the house and the final scenes in the story just made me want to bawl my eyes out – with happy tears.

You: What if anything would you want to change in Yours to Keep?

MBR: For me, Yours to Keep is just damn perfect as it is!

You: Who would you recommend Yours to Keep to?

MBR: Fans of the Kowalski series should definitely read this one. Its a keeper!

And for fans of Shannon Stacey who haven’t yet delved into the Kowalski world, you definitely ought to, even if it is with this one. Yes, it is that good!

And for fans of contemporary romances, this one should definitely end up on your pile of books that MUST be read!

You: Any memorable scenes/quotes from Yours to Keep that you would like to share?

MBR: I loved the notes that Sean kept leaving for Emma to find. One of my favorites comes from the list he gives her during the final moments in the story:

You don’t take any crap from me.
You make me laugh.
Missionary is my favorite position now because I can see your face.

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Coyote Wild by Rhian Cahill

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Coyote Hunger, Book 2
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Brogan Wilder
Heroine: Eloise Crawford
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: June 18, 2010
Started On: May 28, 2011
Finished On: May 28, 2011

Coyote Wild is the 2nd book in the Coyote Hunger series, the book that at first caught my eye when I was browsing through Rhian Cahill’s back list. Coyote Hunger series is based on a community of coyote shape shifters and Coyote Wild tells the story of Brogan Wilder, the sovereign leader of the pack who finds his mate in his sister’s best friend Eloise Crawford who comes from Australia to attend his sister Rowan’s wedding.

The last thing that Eloise expects to find in her best friend Rowan’s brother is the gut wrenching need that swirls deep within her even from the first moment she lays eyes on him. Eloise who has never felt that way about anyone in the past is taken aback by a desire that rages out of control within her, a need to possess and be possessed by a man who would be a virtual stranger to her if not for Rowan’s stories about him when they were living together. However that doesn’t stop  her from turning to putty in his arms without knowing exactly what she is getting herself into.

Brogan never thought that he would find his mate in his sister’s best friend and that it would turn out to be a human. But the coyote inside of him refuses to stand down once it has Eloise in its sight that lets Brogan know that there would be no turning back from how Eloise makes him feel. Though Brogan knows that he needs to woo Eloise and introduce her gently into their way of life, it doesn’t make the reciprocated look of mind numbing desire in Eloise’s eyes any less easier to ignore. Before Brogan knows what he is doing, all thoughts of gentle introductions fly out of the window and he has Eloise staked and claimed as his mate within no time.

However, learning to embrace her life as a coyote shifter is the least of Eloise’s worries when Brogan’s enemy makes it his quest to destroy Brogan in anyway he can, a man who has long since moved onto the path of insanity rendering him a danger to Brogan and those whom he loves.

Coyote Wild is a great addition to the Coyote Hunger series. I loved learning about Brogan, the responsibilities that he shoulders as the sovereign ruler of the pack and of course learning of his uncontrollable hunger when it comes to anything to do with his mate for life. Eloise turned out to be my most favorite in this story, her courage and utter determination landing her in my list of favorite heroines. And as always, Rhian outdoes herself in delivering the nerve tingling kind of sensuality at the right pace which just makes her books that much better to indulge in. There are so many interesting characters in the Coyote Hunger series that one can’t help but want a story for each and every single one of them. And I hear that Ms. Rhian is working on Doc and Steve’s story which I bet is going to set my Kindle afire when I get my hands on it.

Coyote Hunger series is highly recommended for those who love a good paranormal/fantasy series featuring shape shifters. I loved the shape shifting scenes included in each of the books, wanting to run my hands all over the coyote’s furry coats each single time. For those who love Rhian Cahill’s erotic contemporary stories, you definitely ought to get a taste of what she can do in the paranormal world.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Diesel E-Books

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Undercover Lovers

Format: E-bookundercoverlovers
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Undercover Lovers Anthology
Publisher: Self Published
Date of Publication: May 17, 2010
Started On: May 19, 2010
Finished On: May 20, 2010

Reviewing an anthology for the 1st time ever has certainly being a new and enlightening experience for me as a reader as well as a reviewer. On the plus side it meant that I have discovered two new authors who I would keep an eye on from now on whilst on the challenging side I was wondering how I would best provide a review for all the stories that make up this anthology.

After much deliberation I decided to review each of the 4 novellas that makes up this anthology separately, rating them individually so that my review would provide a much clearer view of how much I enjoyed each of the stories.

The anthology comprises of the novellas Consumed by Dee Carney, Conned by Chloe Cole, Conquered by Cari Quinn and Convicted by Dee Tenorio. I find it kinda cute that all the titles start with the letter “C”. I have reviewed the stories in the order that they appear in the anthology. And before I delve into my review I would like to give a huge shout out of thanks to the wonderful Cari Quinn for giving me the opportunity to read and review this exciting anthology that has been very well worth my time as a reader.

Book 1: Consumed by Dee Carney

Hero: August Jaegar
Heroine: Saffron Burton
Length: Novella
Sensuality: 4.5

August Jaegar is the best chef in Denver and a very hot and extremely sexy one at that. Working fourteen hours a day to make his restaurant the best there is, August is a chef who guards his privacy with a vengeance and hates reporters who poach on his territory. And did I mention that he is HOT??

Our heroine certainly has a unique name; Saffron Burton who is a food critique working at the Denver Daily. Curvaceous and beautiful, Saffron manages to draw the attention of the elusive August right from the first moment he lays his eyes on her on the chance meeting that happens when when Saffron finally manages to move to the top of the restaurant’s reservations list after a wait of 4 whole months. From the first moment they lay eyes on each other, both Saffron and August are smitten with each other to the point that everything else around them fades away into insignificance.

Consumed is a very readable story. Though this is my first Dee Carney, I loved her style of writing which flows easily and her way of bringing the heat between August and Saffron alive right from the very beginning. Even though this quite a short novella, I would say Dee Carney has done a great job in bringing the characters as well as the restaurant to life, certainly landing her in my authors to look for.

Though I would have loved learning more about Saffron and August, there were a lot of things that I loved about Consumed that is worthy of being mentioned. Surprise, surprise! I loved August’s character. Brilliant and hot, the man can do wicked things in a kitchen, and yes I am talking about actual cooking here *winks*. And I definitely can get on board with August’s brand of seduction which definitely had my insides clamoring for his attention throughout!

I would recommend Consumed for anyone who loves a hot novella featuring a sexy as sin hero who can do brilliant things with his hands. And I am not talking about cooking here *wink*.

Memorable Scenes:

The scene in the alley. Definite heart thumping variety material there!

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Book 2: Conned by Chloe Cole

Hero: Professor Tucker Lamb
Heroine: Doctor Eleanor Malloy
Length: Novella
Sensuality: 4.5

Tucker Lamb is a professor teaching Science at Westside for the past 6 months. His childhood had neither being normal nor an easy one. Tucker is a guy who keeps to himself not wanting to blow his cover under the Witness Protection Program.

Cue in Human Sexuality Profesor Dr. Eleanor Malloy whose very subject at Westside and the way she reels in her students into the subject matter makes her a favorite amongst her students. She has been at Westside for 2 years and for the first time in her life is thinking of staying in one place for a long time.

Eleanor and Tucker meets for the first time when Tucker moves to Westside. Though sparks do not fly between the two from the first meet, Tucker is more than aware of the fact that given half the chance, he would end up blowing his cover to hell if it means getting the luscious Dr. Eleanor underneath him or in any of the many positions that his reckless heart wants her in.

Chloe Cole who also writes under the name of Christine Bell is a new author for me. However that didn’t stop me from identifying with the fact that she can pack a well written and steamy romance that even in a short story as this one I enjoyed to the max. What drew me into the story most was the evident attraction that sizzled the circuits off my e-reader and steamed up the room a couple of degrees. And I absolutely loved it!

I loved how Chloe brought about both Tucker and Eleanor’s characters. Tucker is a guy who has turned a new leaf, but that doesn’t hide the fact  that he can totally turn on the bad-boy persona when the need calls for it. Eleanor is a heartwarming character as well whom I would have loved to learn more about. She is funny and sexy as hell, exactly the right match for someone like Tucker who needs to learn that being bad doesn’t necessarily mean getting into trouble. And if you get me started on the heat factor of this novella, I would never ever stop. Let me just say that the need for a cold shower and a new pair of panties is a foregone possibility afterwards. *wink*

I would definitely recommend Conned by Chloe Cole to those who love their erotica to be of the panty-melting kind. This one’s so hot that you would a tall glass of cold water is a definite requirement whilst reading.

Memorable Scenes:

The aphrodisiac tasting scenes. Sizzling HOT!! And I loved, loved, loved the build up that happened in the restaurant. *gulp* I need not say anymore!

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Book 3: Conquered by Cari Quinn

Hero: Shane Madison
Heroine: Emma Donegan
Length: Novella
Sensuality: 4.5

29 year old Shane Madison is a Private Investigator trying to make his own firm a successful one. Equipped with a body that rivals that of a Greek God, Shane is determined that he would not walk away from another career and would do whatever it takes to make things work this time around.

Going almost 30 and single yet again, Emma Donegan has a yearning to experience explosive passion for once in her life. Having just broken up with her long-term boyfriend, Emma is determined that she would become the sexy siren that beckons men to their doom, and gets more than she bargains for when she meets the hotter than sin Shane.

Shane is working undercover at Strippendales when he sees Emma and loses himself in her vivid green eyes that tells him so much of her wanton fantasies that heats up his blood making him become reckless enough to give her what she is asking for.

Cari Quinn’s fantastic story telling is always a plus point with her stories regardless of their length. As always her quirky humor when it comes to her characters had me laughing out aloud at several points, Emma being the type of heroine that I could most definitely relate to. And of course, the heat between Emma and the sexy Shane had me definitely racing through the pages fanning myself in the process to try and cool things down.

I loved both Shane and Emma, the attraction that they have for one another which just explodes onto the pages and left me wanting more. The underlying humorous tone in the novel was a definite plus which makes this novella by Cari as always a memorable one.

Having sampled what Cari can do with a full length novel after reading Insatiable, my only gripe is in wishing that this too could have been a full length contemporary novel. That would have definitely made my day!

I would most definitely recommend this to fans of Cari Quinn. Those who love her style would definitely love this one too. And for those who do not know her, its high time ladies! You definitely need to read this if you are into contemporary erotica that has a tinge of comedy in it to make things more enticing.

Memorable Scenes:

Loved each single erotic scene in the novella. All of them definite palpitation inducing kind.

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Book 4: Convicted by Dee Tenorio

Hero: Cade Evigan
Heroine: Katrina Killian
Length: Novella
Sensuality: 4.5

Former Marine Cade Evigan, now Sheriff of rural California town Marketta is my favorite type of hero. Cade is a soldier who has fought in a war that had started making little or no sense to him, who had returned to his hometown hoping to gain at least a semblance of peace in his life as an ex-Marine.

Katrina Killian is a DEA agent whose job the past 2 years has been to go deep undercover inside a vicious biker gang known as Wheels of Pain. When Katrina meets Cade and all her senses go on high alert clamoring for his attention in more ways than one, Katrina knows that there is no escaping from the most dangerous emotion of all that she has faced to-date; conquering her love for a man who makes her go soft in all the right places.

Katrina and Cade meets up when Cade returns home from serving in Afghanistan and joins the Sheriff Department, disillusioned to the point of being cold and aloof until Katrina manages to kick aside the shield of indifference behind which Cade hides, thawing away at the ice surrounding his heart and emotions until Cade has no choice but to surrender.

I love Dee Tenorio’s writing style which my reviews of a couple of her books are bound to show. It is the way she has with her characters and the build up even within this story that reeled me in that made this my favorite in this anthology.

I loved pretty much everything about this short, hot and action-packed novella. Cade of course who is going to be playing a major role in my dream-induced fantasies from this point forward was my favorite aspect of this story. And Katrina comes off as a heroine who is gutsy and loyal to the max whose love for Cade and all that he stands for is evident in her actions. I loved the role reversal in this novella such that the heroine is the figure who is involved in the danger bit, trying her damnedest to protect the hero. And oh boy, did I love and absolutley revel in the passion that unfolded between Cade and Katrina? These two lights up the pages like a well-lit Christmas tree and gave me shivers of all the good kind right till the very last page. And as anyone who has heard of my love for an epilogue would know by now, I loved the cute little epilogue that served as the conclusion of this very well done novella.

I would recommend this one to all fans of Dee Tenorio. This is one novella that fans should NOT miss! And of course this one’s for those who love a short, hot novella featuring an ex-military hero and a spunky heroine who gives as good as she gets! All good reasons for you to get a copy and indulge!

Memorable Scenes:

Scenes of INTENSE passion between Katrina and Cade. I want a Cade of my own – RIGHT NOW!

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Purchase Links: Amazon | Smashwords

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Lady of Seduction by Laurel McKee

Format: E-bookladyofseduction
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: The Daughters of Erin, Book 3
Publisher: Forever
Hero: Sir Grant Dunmore
Heroine: Caroline Blacknall
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: June 1, 2011
Started On: May 18, 2011
Finished On: May 19, 2011

My first Laurel McKee turned out to be the 3rd book in her Daughters of Erin trilogy which tells the story of the youngest daughter Caroline Blacknell who finds her happily ever after with Grant Dunmore with whom she has a shared past prior to the start of this book.

Set in Ireland in the 1800’s, Lady of Seduction begins in the midst of the journey that Caroline makes to reach the forbidding island of Muirin Inish to seek out Grant because she wants to get her hands on a book that is in his possession, or so she tells herself. Caroline is a widow, whose husband had died just about a year back and Caroline has just begun to find her own purpose in the world. Always happier when she is buried deep under a ton of books, Caroline is the only one out of the 3 sisters who doesn’t thrive on adventure, until she seeks out Grant Dunmore, the man who has haunted her dreams ever since their encounter 4 years back.

Once a sophisticated, aristocratic gentleman that all ladies in Dublin had swooned over, Grant had left the high society to live out the rest of his life in seclusion in the cold, damp and crumbling castle that stands on the remote island of Muirin Inish after his role in the incident that had occurred before his move to the island. The Grant that Caroline encounters on the island couldn’t be anymore different from what he is in her memories, but the wild, long-haired and tattooed version of Grant still tempts Caroline beyond anyone or anything she has ever encountered in 20 years of her life.

With Caroline stranded on the island with no means of sending her back to where she came from, Grant is no match to saying no to the heady attraction that had always been there between them, that burns out of control when they are forced to spend time together. But the secrets that Grant hides in the name of righting all that he has done wrong in the past puts both of them in perilous danger. Once their journey towards Dublin is over, Grant intends to do the honorable thing and leave Caroline to find ultimate happiness with a man more deserving of a woman like her.

There are a couple of things that I loved about this story. First the setting since I have never read a historical romance in an Irish setting, so this was a first for me. Though the historical accuracy part always flies over the top of my head, the afterword included in the story tells that the author has done a lot of research into the said time period. I liked Grant who has changed his ways from the reckless young man who let his thirst for vengeance and revenge control his emotions and heart for so long to find his solace in warm embrace of Caroline who manages to see into the depth of his dark soul and still love him for who he is. Caroline is one of my favorite types of heroines, the bookish type who doesn’t care much about the righteous rules of the society which ALWAYS makes a historical romance interesting. I loved the passion between Grant and Caroline that unfolds in many a imaginatively done scenes that always had me sighing after it was over. And as always, I loved the epilogue in the story which shows the lives of Grant and Caroline one year after the end of their story.

Though I liked many aspects of the story, I still found myself at times wanting to know the details of how Caroline and Grant’s pasts entwines, skimmed over in this novel. I believe that readers who are interested in trying out the 3rd book needs to read the series in order so not to miss any vital aspects of their past which I think may have happened to me to make the enjoyable factor a little less for me with this one.

I would recommend this for fans of historical romances who would love to try out stories in new settings, who loves a brooding and scarred hero who finds happiness in the arms of a less than perfect heroine who makes you smile in all the ways that counts.

Favorite Quotes

His gaze met hers, and in that instant, Caroline felt something deep and profound shift between them. They saw each other, they understood, and every breath and every heartbeat was like one. She loved him, as she could never love anyone else. And that realization shook her deeply.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Her Own Best Enemy by Cynthia Justlin

Format: E-bookherownbestenemy
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: The Remnants, Book 1
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Keith King
Heroine: Grace Stevens
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 11, 2011
Started On: May 14, 2011
Finished On: May 16, 2011

Having never read anything by Cynthia Justlin didn’t stop me from scrambling off to log onto Amazon to buy a copy of Her Own Best Enemy after reading a review posted for the book on Goodreads by Jeannie Lin, one of my favorite authors who writes kick ass romances set in the Tang Dynasty, China. And Her Own Best Enemy, the Kindle version which is available for 0.99 $ on Amazon till the 31st of this month is a pretty kick-ass romantic suspense featuring a hot and broody reformed bad-boy hero and a heroine who knows what it is she wants and doesn’t back down.

32 year old Keith King comes from a broken childhood, having learnt to fend off for himself at the tender age of 10 years. Its no wonder that Keith found himself in bad company, wasting away his life being the ultra jerk to everyone until life and its tough lessons had forced Keith to grow up, giving him a choice between prison and the army of which he chose the latter. The Army had been the only place in which he had found a place where he belonged to until a traitor within had stolen even that from him leaving him fuming at the Monthan Rehabilitation Centre until his past comes calling.

30 year old Grace Stevens is a single divorced mother, terrified for the safety of her 8 year old son Ryker who has been taken by her ex-husband without any notice. Though the last thing Grace wants to do is to seek assistance from Keith, the man she has hated with a vengeance for the past 14 years, Grace is left with no choice when it comes to the life of her beloved son.

A distrustful Grace teams up with a cynical and burnt out Keith, each driven by their own agendas in a race against the gun-toting mercenaries who are out to get them and drive them six feet under, the sooner the better. Though Grace keeps the details of their intertwined past from Keith and knows better than to let her guard down, she is no match for the altogether changed version of Keith, harder and more lethal than ever on her senses with his strong sense of loyalty that sets him apart from the reckless teenager he had been. Though Keith knows that Grace hides something important from him, he can’t help but want all those things like love that he has never believed in until Grace had come looking for him.

Though I would have loved Grace to be a bit more trusting towards the end when Keith did everything in his power from the start to show that he would rather die than turn his back on her, I still loved the story, the character development that took place and little Ryker who managed to steal my heart from the moment his character showed up in the story. And I would definitely love to find out whether Cameron Scott would get his own story any time soon. With hair raising adventure mixed with combustive sexual tension between two people who would rather not feel anything for each other at all, Her Own Best Enemy is a novel highly recommended for those who love explosive romantic suspense to light up their reading world.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: A Heart So Wild by Johanna Lindsey

Format: E-bookaheartsowild
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Stratons, Book 1
Publisher: Avon
Hero: Kane Straton/Chandos
Heroine: Courtney Harte
Sensuality: 3
Published on: December 1, 1986
Started On: May 13, 2011
Finished On: May 14, 2011

I remember reading a book by Johanna Lindsey a very long time back. And though I don’t actively pursue each and every book that she writes, nevertheless I remember Ms. Lindsey to have the ability to spin a good historical romance with enough passion between the characters to stir up one’s insides. A Heart So Wild is a romance that gets recommended quite often on Amazon discussion forums and I finally decided to find out what makes this book of the American-Westeran genre a favorite of so many romance readers.

A Heart So Wild tells the tale of Courtney Harte, the only child of Dr. Edward Harte, who grows up insecure of the love of her father since the death of her mother at the tender age of six. When her father remarries for practical purposes to a woman who changes her colors overnight, Courtney withdraws more into herself than ever before, learning to hide how she feels deep inside. When Courtney survives an attack by the Indians, her life takes a turn for the worse with the disappearance of her father, leaving her solely dependent on her stepmother until she can make it out on her own.

Chandos is a man who is hellbent on getting revenge on those who had violated and killed the people closest to him. The past 4 years has all been about chasing leads and finding each and every single one of the men who had abused their power in the worst way possible and to make them pay for what they had done.

When Courtney finds evidence that her father might be alive, she doesn’t hesitate in trying to acquire the services of the strong and silent gunslinger who makes her feel all funny on the insides, something that has never happened to Courtney before. Chandos would rather cut of his arm and feed it to the bears than let Courtney tag along on a journey that is ridden with hardship and danger, not to mention the number she does on his libido and other emotions just by existing. Chandos hides a secret that binds them together from 4 years back, a secret that could turn the adoration in the eyes of the woman who means more to him than he can admit into hatred and anger.

As both Chandos and Courtney travel the rough and tough journey towards their individual destinations, the desire that simmers between them escalates until it obliterates everything else and demands nothing less but their complete surrender. But Chandos is not a man who would give up his quest for revenge lightly and he would rather not subject Courtney to the wanderlust nature his life had taken form of for the last couple of years. Laced with humor, witty bantering and enough bad guys to keep the action going, A Heart So Wild is a romance that hits all the right spots and delivers quite well on all fronts.

I loved Courtney as a heroine whose sense of humor makes even the most tension wrought moments in the book seem less so. Chandos is indeed a swoon worthy hero whose way of calling Courtney “Cateyes” and “Kitten” certainly had me going totally weak at my knees. And I absolutely loved the way Courtney continued to give as good as she got from Chandos, though she loves him to the point of distraction, never letting Chandos walk all over her and her feelings for him. All in all, a quite well rounded tale that had me clamoring for more of Chandos and the brand of magic that only he and Courtney together seems to be able to make.

Recommended for fans of Johanna Lindsey and fans of historical romances set in the American-Western.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Rachel’s Eyes: A Short Story by Ellen O’Connell

Format: E-bookrachelseyes
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Tied with Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Cord Bennett
Heroine: Anne Wells
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: April 10, 2011
Started On: May 13, 2011
Finished On: May 13, 2011

Rachel’s Eyes is a short story that continues from one of the most wonderful historical romances that I have read to-date i.e. Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold by Ellen O’Connell. I loved the story that unfolded between half-breed Cord Bennett and Anne Wells amidst the violence and prejudices that life was back then so much that I have pimped it out on several occasions when fellow book lovers like me ask for book recommendations from the American-Western romance genre.

I was delighted when my friend Jill on Goodreads told me about the release of this short novel which sort of continues Anne’s and Cord’s story, giving the reader glimpses of their happily ever after which makes me one ecstatic reader all around.

This novella tells the story of Rachel Miles Ross, Anne’s best friend before her marriage to Cord. When Rachel comes calling, in dire need of help from Anne and her husband, Cord certainly cannot say no after hearing about what married and family life has been like for Rachel all along. And it is always heartwarming to see Cord through the eyes of secondary characters, bringing to light what it is that made me fall so hopelessly in love with his character.

For a novella that wanted to bring about a part of Anne’s life that was left without a happy ending in Anne and Cord’s story, this one does a swell job of tying up that loose end quite effectively. And once again, let me not forget how Ellen O’Connell weaves her brand of magic that even in a short story like this manages to grab the reader right from page one. Literally can’t wait until the release of her next book which is to come out later this year.

Definitely recommended for those who have already read and fallen in love with Cord upon reading Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold. If you haven’t already read their story, buy a copy and immerse yourself in one of the finest American-Western romances out there. Most certainly worth your time & money.

Purchase Links: Amazon |Smashwords

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