Category / Carina Press

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Falling Hard by J.K. Coi

Format: E-bookfallinghard
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Series: Standalone
Hero: Gabriel Gunn
Heroine: Amelia White
Sensuality: 3.5
Publication Date: July 18, 2011
Started On: July 17, 2011
Finished On: July 18, 2011

Falling Hard by J.K. Coi which has released today from Carina Press as I write my review is a novel that combines a well developed ethereal world which delves into the heart of an age old struggle between angels who want the ultimate freedom from the emotionless shackles that have bound them for millennia.

30 year old Gabriel Gunn has no idea of the freakish hell his life is about to turn into when he walks out of a club with his best friend and band manager David. Within minutes Gabriel lies in a pool of his own blood after watching the horrific attack on David take the very life out of him. Rescue comes in the form of a woman whose mere presence makes Gabriel feel alive, the same kind of energy he only feels when he sings. What Gabriel doesn’t know is that the woman who rescues her is an angel who has sworn to protect Gabriel at all costs, even if it means giving up her own life for the cause.

Amelia White has been tasked with the job of watching over Gabriel for the past 30 years during which time she has looked over upon the trials and tribulations that has shaped the man that stands before her now. Knowing that Gabriel’s very soul holds the key that could unlock the angel’s realm and give them the freedom that they have been stripped bare of a long time back, Amelia knows that safeguarding Gabriel is going to be the toughest mission she might have undertaken yet, as her senses start to come alive and emotions that Amelia is sure she is not capable of feeling starts pricking and poking at her to give in.

It is a journey filled with twists and turns filled with potholes that Gabriel and Amelia embark upon to find a way out of the mess Gabriel finds himself in. With rogue angels hunting them down at every turn and with Amelia’s own fears and insecurities to battle with Gabriel finds himself with more questions than answers about his mysterious guardian angel who makes him want as he has never wanted before. But that doesn’t stop him from realizing and embracing the fact that life as he knew it is never to be again as he stands in the midst of a game of tug of war between the good and the bad angels. The ultimate showdown would mean that Gabriel would have to embrace his darker side which would in turn mean his death at the hands of the avenger who happens to be the angel who owns his heart, body and soul.

Falling Hard is a book that plunged me deep into a world that had me fascinated right from the very beginning. Amelia with her sparkling beauty and the emotions that she fights so much at the beginning is a heroine who would go to any lengths to protect the man that she loves. The concept of the heroine being the protector was a novel experience which I loved, though that doesn’t mean Gabriel is a man who would willingly step aside and let a woman do all the work.

Gabriel is the perfect rock star hero material, intense, broody and energetic, a man who is buried so deep in regrets of his past that blinds him to any other emotion except pain, anger and sadness until Amelia lights up his world with her aura. It is Gabriel’s intensity that I was drawn towards right from the very beginning which was complemented by the calm serenity that is Amelia.

The passion between Gabriel and Amelia is scorching in its intensity and though not explicit in nature it had me fluttery in all the right places. J.K. Coi has certainly penned a splendid romance with paranormal elements that gives the story that unfolds an extra edge that makes this unputdownable. The ending does make me wonder whether J.K. Coi plans to start off a series with this novel as there are lots of secondary characters that I would love to know more about.

Recommended for fans of the genre and fans of J.K. Coi.

Favorite Quotes

Her scent took him off guard. Spicy and sweet. Intoxicating but casual – the most dedicated virgin and the most celebrated siren wrapped up in one deceptive little package.

Her purposeful movements made him want to dig his fingers into the silk of her hair and muss her up. He vowed to be the one to unsettle her. He wanted to make her pulse hammer beneath that smooth skin and force those lips to part on high gasps of unexpected pleasure.

His soft lips felt sinful, so incredible. She moaned and Gabriel responded in kind, pressing for more, sliding his tongue over the seam of her lips before slipping inside to sweep her mouth. Again and again until she matched him, giving him her tongue so they they dueled together in a slick, sensual challenge.

His heart beat strong and fast beneath her palm. His breathing had quickened, too, blowing against her nape in short, heated blasts. “You’ve got me wound tighter than I’ve ever been, Amelia. You piss me off quicker than anyone else can. And you push every one of my buttons. I look at you and I want to make you feel the same way—edgy, uncertain and desperate.”

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Catch Me by Lorelie Brown

Format: E-bookcatchme
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Elmer Dean Collier
Heroine: Margaret Bullock
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 18, 2011
Started On: July 15, 2011
Finished On: July 15, 2011

Set in Arizona territory in 1882, Catch Me by Lorelie Brown is an entertaining romance of the American-Western variety that fans of the genre should not miss out on. Lorelie Brown serves the reader with enough adventure, red-hot passion and a love between two strong-willed people who have no clue as to what they are in for when fate throws them together in the most trying circumstances.

22 year old Margaret Bullock, daughter of the current sheriff of Fresh Springs is at her wits end as to how to obtain money for her ailing father’s treatment. Maggie does the only thing a headstrong and willful woman who won’t take what fate hands over lying down would do – rob the only bank in Fresh Springs and leave her hometown with the intention of never to return.

Elmer Dean Collier is a man who seems to have lost his way since the loss of life as he knew it five years back. A bounty hunter who has lived on the high that each righteous kill brings lifting up the haze of anger that has shrouded him since that fateful day five years back, Dean knows that it wouldn’t be long before he loses whatever shred of humanity that is left within him if he were to continue as he has been. Tired of the constant round of killing his life has become, Dean grabs at the chance of becoming the new sheriff of Fresh Springs upon capture and return of the woman who seems to have robbed the town’s only bank.

Blinded by the need to turn his life around and attaining his one chance at redemption, Dean at first doesn’t pay heed to the mischievous, daring and headstrong woman who turns him inside out when he at last manages to find Maggie. Bit by bit, Maggie manages to chip away at the coldness that seems to have become his protective shield for so long, until all he can think about is surrendering himself to the warmth he is sure to find in his captive’s arms.

Maggie though an innocent knows when passion blindsides her that there would be no regrets for her where Dean is concerned and she is determined that they both experience what their bodies seem intent on telling them would be one tempestuous coming together. But Dean is a man not to be swayed on his mission to deliver Maggie as he has promised, a promise that seems to eat away at him as their destination draws closer, making him question whether the peace that he hunts would embrace him if he were to give up the woman who has managed to sneak her way into his heart.

Catch Me is a novel that urges the reader to turn the pages, to keep on reading to find out whether the sexual tension that simmers between Maggie and Dean is as explosive as one would hope it to be, to experience the way Dean crumbles by bits and pieces until ultimate surrender is all he can think of and to find out the secrets that seems to shroud the lives of Maggie’s father and that of the infamous banker whose less than stellar intentions nearly drive Maggie and Dean apart for good.

Dean reminded me of the type of heroes that Maggie Osborne creates, the type of hero that I immediately fall in love with, as beneath their rough, gruff and tough exterior lies a man who hurts a lot more than I can even comprehend. Maggie is the type of heroine who is feisty, sensual and giving, the type of woman who can turn a man’s well ordered life all around until he is left with only one choice, i.e. to love and cherish her till death does them apart.

With invigorating banter between Maggie and Dane to liven things up along the 3 week journey these two make from Texas towards Fair Springs and the characters that are introduced in between, Catch Me is a story that well earns its position as a great read. Highly recommended for fans of the genre.

Favorite Quotes

Their lips clung and released, then came back again. His tongue dipped into her mouth and she received it with a quiet sigh of welcome.
She was sweet like apples. Sweet to the taste, to the touch, to all his senses. More succulent than anything he’d dared touch for a long time. He’d been lost in the dark, but if he gripped her tightly enough maybe she would lead him out.

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

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Tempting the Enemy by Dee Tenorio

Format: E-booktemptingtheenemy
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Series: Resurrection, Book 1
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Pale Rysen
Heroine: Jade-Scarlet
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: June 14,  2010
Started On: July 11, 2011
Finished On: July 13, 2011

Tempting the Enemy is my first taste of Dee Tenorio’s ability to spin an incredible tale in the paranormal romantic suspense genre. Book one in the series entitled Resurrection, Dee introduces us into a world of shape shifters and a fascinating breed known as Sibiles who have different kinds of abilities together with a history of bad blood between themselves and the wolf shifters.

Pale Reysen is an Alpha who has sworn to create a safe haven for wolf shifters whose vast numbers have rapidly declined since humans had started hunting them down. Part of the Violent Crimes Division at the Moonridge Police Station where the chase is on to find a serial killer dubbed as the Woodsman by the media, Pale is as ecstatic as someone waiting on deathrow when their captain announces that a Sibile would be helping them on their race against time as the dead body parts continue to pile up.

When half-Wolf and half-Sibile Jade-Scarlet walks into his police station bringing with her the undeniable scent of a Wolf female in Heat, Pale nearly loses it as his Wolf growls, pricks and pokes at him to unleash the beast so that it can claim its rightful mate. However, the fact remains that having being once betrayed by her kind, Pale would never have a reason to let Jade in nor give into the hunger that seems to shred his insides to pieces.

Jade is a Wolf who has too long denied her animal side, having lived with The Order ever since her parents were killed. A Sibile whose abilities lie in being able to hunt down emotional signatures left behind, Jade however has a hard time keeping her mind on the mission of uncovering the identity of a vicious killer as all her instincts scream at her to lay down and offer herself to the Wolf that seems to unleash such violent desire within her.

Bound by a need neither can deny, both Jade and Pale learns to trust one another as they are forced to spend time together chasing a killer whose nefarious intents when it comes to light sends cold dread racing through Jade’s insides as she realizes what it is she must do in order to rid the world of a mad man who would stop at nothing in his quest to belong. With the future shrouded in uncertainty, Jade gives herself up to the Wolf she will mate with for life, knowing that in the end that they would both have to go their separate ways regardless of how much they would be giving up by forcing themselves to walk away from one another.

Tempting the Enemy is a story that combines a fantastic paranormal world and delivers edge-of-the-seat suspense together with a passion that is scorching enough to render you into a puddle of goo. From the start, the intense connection between Jade and Pale never lets up and the killer’s cunning plans which ties along neatly with Jade’s appearance rendering this a well balanced paranormal romantic suspense.

Pale is a broody and mouth-wateringly sexy hero whose possessive streak is a mile wide, his protectiveness an undeniable facet of him that endeared him to me from the start. Jade is the type of heroine I have come to accept and love when it comes to books by Dee; loyal, feisty and vulnerable with a core of steel that doesn’t let anyone run roughshod over them. Each of the characters introduced along the way held my riveted, undivided attention, marking them off in my mind as future candidates who should receive their own stories in this series somewhere down the  line.

Highly enjoyable, Tempting the Enemy is recommended for fans of paranormal romantic suspense and fans of Dee Tenorio who have yet to find out the amazing things she can do in this genre.

Favorite Quotes

He turned his head toward the open double doors across from his desk, inhaling a deep breath. A new scent drifted to him, distinct from the usual grime and wear inside the department. Warm honey. Cloves. Citrus soap under the light salt of sweat. Female.

“You are what I want.” Did he even know the way his eyes glowed when he watched her? That when his voice was so gruff, she could feel it and all the longing he had in it? That he was stealing parts of her heart with every word? “I want all of you. For always.”

Pale circled the bed and picked her up in his arms. Her cheeks turned his favorite shade of red as he kissed her, his heart full of so many things he couldn’t say. Not yet. So he kissed her again and felt the rest of his soul become hers.

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

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: The Fifth Kingdom by Caridad Piñeiro

Format: E-bookthefifthkingdom
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Special Agent Guillermo Santana
Heroine: Dr. Deanna Vasquez
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 11, 2011
Started On: July 4, 2011
Finished On: July 5, 2011

The Fifth Kingdom by Caridad Piñeiro is a novel that combines romance and adventure in equal spades delivering a romantic suspense that ought to please many a fan of the genre. Most of the story takes place in Mexico where the buried treasure of a long lost civilization seems to bring out the most cutthroat criminals who would cross no boundaries in order to attain the prize they are after.

The heroine Dr. Deanna Vasquez is a history lecturer at one of the premier prep schools in Manhattan. When Special Agent Bill Santana from the CIA seeks her out claiming that her estranged mother might be in trouble, Deanna’s first reaction is to go crawl under a rock and forget that she ever heard the news.

When Deanna comes to know that her mother’s quest to find the tomb of Montezuma, one of the last Emperors of the Aztecs might have borne fruit after 14 long years during which she had left behind her 13 year old daughter and husband behind, Deanna knows deep in her heart that she can’t turn away from her mother’s obvious need for help with her conscience intact.

What stirs Deanna more than anything else is the strong and larger than life Bill who manages to invoke all sorts of emotions in her, a man with a heartbreaking past of his own who finds a haven of warmth and comfort in Deanna’s arms. As Bill and Deanna travel to Mexico in the guise of engaged lovers, their pretend arrangement suddenly takes a more realistic edge as both of them give into the feelings of passion that have stalked them right from the very start.

As danger escalates together with each step they take closer towards the buried treasure, their salvation comes in the form of a relic that could change the world as we know it, that could drive the world to the brink of disaster and beyond if it were to land in the wrong hands.

The Fifth Kingdom proved to be an entertaining romantic suspense with an endearing hero and heroine thrown together by circumstance, and yet find the best thing to happen to each of them in one another. Bill is a tender hero who doesn’t let his past color his future and Deanna is a strong heroine who finds reason enough to trust in a man like Bill. The scenes of passion between the two were hot and tender at the same time, perfectly in tune with the adventure aspect of the novel.

Recommended for fans of romantic suspense.

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

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Viper’s Kiss by Shannon Curtis

Format: E-bookviperskiss
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Luke Fletcher
Heroine: Margaret Elizabeth Kincaid
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 25, 2011
Started On: June 26, 2011
Finished On: June 26, 2011

Who in the world wouldn’t want to read a title with a cover as this one? I fell completely for it and though Shannon Curtis is a totally new author for me, within the first chapter itself I knew that in this instant judging the book by its cover had been the right thing to do.

Margaret Elizabeth Kincaid is the Information Services Librarian at the University of Washington whose wildest nightmares couldn’t have shown her the turmoil her life could turn into. Arrested and taken into custody for economic espionage and murder, Maggie’s orderly life is turned upside down when being arrested with the whole university looking on is just the tip of the iceberg.

When the squad car in which she is held is stopped by gun-toting vicious looking goons who have no problem with killing two federal officers whilst they are at it, Maggie undergoes the goons’ vicious onslaught whose only aim is to retrieve the research of the world-altering kind she supposedly has stolen for their boss. Being called the ‘Viper’ when she she has no clue as to who she is, Maggie is at a loss which doesn’t stop her from fighting for her right to survive.

Maggie narrowly escapes being manhandled to death by one set of goons only to run smack-dab into the arms of Luke Fletcher who is Ex-Special Forces and works for the McCormack Security Agency who has been entrusted with the task of retrieving the sensitive information stolen by the notorious and vicious Viper.

What Luke doesn’t comprehend happening is that he would screw up his first solo assignment so royally by lusting after the notorious Viper, almost believing the lies that comes out of her delectable mouth. Tall, blonde and too dangerous for her peace of mind is what Luke is to Maggie who has never been so tempted to break her own ninety day rule before. The fact that he almost makes her forget the reason for their acquaintance is reason enough for Maggie to be wary of the man whose rough and hard kisses stir her to her very soul.

And just when it seems like things may finally work out for Luke and Maggie, reality intervenes making Maggie take matters into her own hands to prove once and for all that she is not the infamous Viper whom everyone thinks she is.

For me, Viper’s Kiss turned out to be a surprisingly enjoyable read. I liked both Maggie and sexy as hell Luke and the chemistry between the two. Luke surprisingly is the only ex-military hero that I have encountered who actually has plans of settling down and what scares him is the fact that Maggie is the one he wants to do that with whilst still thinking her to be Viper.

The adventure aspect of the novel was fast-paced with plenty of action and thus never a dull moment in the story. And I enjoyed Drew Michaels and Noah Samuels entry into the story, the two other agents sent in who lend the story something extra with their presence. Would love to see more stories about the rest of the guys at MSA and I definitely look forward to reading more from Shannon Curtis.

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

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Man Law by Adrienne Giordano

Format: E-bookmanlaw
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Private Protectors, Book 1
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Vic Andrews
Heroine: Gina Delgado
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 4, 2011
Started On: June 27, 2011
Finished On: June 27, 2011

Man Law by Adrienne Giordano is the debut novel of the Private Protectors series set to be released on the 4th of July by Carina Press. Lately Carina Press has published some very great books which in turn has introduced voracious readers such as myself to a number of fabulous and really talented authors for which I am forever grateful to Carina Press.

Man Law tells the story of the sexy Vic Andrews with his distracting goatee and his unwanted attraction towards his best friend Mike’s younger sister Gina Delgado, a single mother with three kids, who has been a widow for the past four years. Vic is a man who lives by and follows only his Man laws and he screws that up royally when he has mind numbing sexual encounters with Gina in the basement of her house, at the beach and the next time in her kitchen. Though Vic and Gina both brush those off as brain farts, they both know that the underlying attraction that always ignites whenever they are together won’t be brushed aside just that easily.

When one of Vics’s assignments come back to haunt him and the target this time is Gina and her kids, Vic knows that he won’t let anything happen to them as long as he is able to draw breathe from his body. To say that Vic has commitment issues and emotional garbage is to put things mildly. But Gina is determined that Vic decide once and for all whether what they have between them is worth exploring or walking away from. What Gina wouldn’t back down from is that she won’t say yes to a relationship with a man who puts his life constantly in danger, having once already gone through hell after the untimely death of her husband.

What made Man Law such an interesting story was because of the way the author brings in all the characters and let them do their thing. Lily, Gina’s youngest is so adorable that you can’t help but grin at her conversations with Vic who might think he is clueless when it comes to kids but does so very well in that department as well. Gina fights for what she wants and when it is Vic that she sets her sights on, she doesn’t let him that easily off the hook when the last thing he wants to do is talk about how he feels.

The twenty four hour surveillance that Taylor Security pulls off on Gina’s family certainly brings Vic that much closer for the first time in his life to saying yes to commitment, but for Vic that might not be what fate has in store for him when he leaves Gina to hunt down his enemy, knowing that without that final act of vengeance on his part, he would never  be able to look himself in the mirror ever again.

I just flat-out loved Vic’s sense of humor and the way his thoughts filter out to bring a smile to the reader’s face even during the most charged moments in the story. The thing that drew me in the most was that every part of the story felt real from the humor to the teenage crabby issues to the passion and love that flares between Gina and Vic. And if I hadn’t already been half in love with Vic by the end of the story, the last chapter would have convinced me to go all the way as I just simply adored the ending.

Filled to the brim with humor, sizzling sexual tension, romance with a love that grows on you, Man Law is a summer read not to be missed out on!

Recommended for those who love romantic suspense, adventure and romance in one setting.

Definitely looking forward to the rest of the novels in the series.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Carina Press

awesomeread

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

ARC Review: Negligee Behavior by Shelli Stevens

Format: E-booknegligeebehavior
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Marco Vargas
Heroine: Brandy Elizabeth Summers
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: May 23, 2011
Started On: May 1, 2011
Finished On: May 1, 2011

Yowza! What a fantastic piece of romance this turned out to be from one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. Negligee Behavior which is to come out on the 23rd of this month pets and strokes all the right places with the right balance of quirky humor, romance and red-hot passion of the body hair singeing variety and I loved every single moment of Marco and Brandy’s journey to happily ever after.

29 year old Marco Vargas co-owns a bar with his friend Sebastian and likes his life the way it is. He definitely never thought that 30 year old Brandy Summers would hijack his motorbike in her crazy wedding attire one hot afternoon in her attempt to get away from her boyfriend Gordon who is hellbent on getting hitched and turn his life completely around.

A feeling of being suffocated and doubts that she should not feel are all that plagues Brandy as she stands beside her boyfriend Gordon in his impulsive attempt to say their I-do’s in a rat-infested Elvis chapel in Vegas. A high school choir teacher by profession, Brandy is the sole heiress to the exclusive lingerie chain Sugar and Spice, the fastest growing lingerie chain in North America. Having grown up surrounded by picture-perfect models all her life, Brandy suffers from self-esteem issues and hides behind a facade of frumpy clothing through which Marco sees the beautiful and desirable woman inside even if its the last thing that he wants to see.

Brandy is as taken aback by the heady desire that takes a hold of her whenever she is around Marco who does so much more than just rescue her when shit hits the fan, as is Marco by the possessiveness that streaks right through him when it comes to Brandy. And when Brandy pulls all the stops and gets a sensational makeover with the help of the mouthy and smart-ass bartender Valerie, there is no stopping the tidal wave of desire that explodes between them.

However, both Brandy and Marco have secrets of their own which they keep from one another for their own reasons, not wanting to do anything that would shatter the fragile bond that forms between them as the days pass by. With enough humor in the right places that had me laughing out loud several times earning me the are-you-going-crazy? looks from my husband, I thoroughly enjoyed this delectable contemporary romance which was fun, sweet and heady all at the same time!

I loved the vivid characters that were brought to life right from the very start, rendering each of them to be a vital part of the story. Some of my favorite characters include Valerie the bartender, Sebastian, co-owner of the bar and Brandy’s mother whose spunky nature was a real surprise. Marco is such a dreamy and sensationally sexy hero that I found myself sighing each and every single time he calls Brandy “princess” and my heart just sped its beat up a notch whenever his primal instincts came out to play.

Brandy is such an endearing heroine who earned my wholehearted approval right from the very start with her quirky comebacks and sensitive nature at the core. The way she grows and blossoms as the story progresses along was one of the best parts of the story. And as I have been telling Ms. Stevens on Twitter, anyone who reads Negligee Behavior would definitely want to read the story of Sebastian and Marco’s younger sister Elena. There is this vibe between them that definitely has the makings of another breathtaking romance which I am definitely looking forward to! *hint, hint*

This one definitely makes it to my “favorites” list of contemporary romances for 2011 and I recommend it to everyone who loves a good contemporary romance with a sexy as sin hero and a heroine who you would most definitely relate to and delivers so much fun that you would wish the story to never ever end.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Protective Custody by Wynter Daniels

Format: E-bookprotectivecustody
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Will McCoy
Heroine: Megan Jackson
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: May 9, 2011
Started On: May 1, 2011
Finished On: May 1, 2011

I seem to be on a role these days trying out authors that I have never ever read before. I always give new authors a go because that’s the only way that you discover authors who are worth looking out for and along the way you discover reads that you will treasure for the rest of your life.

I picked out Protective Custody from Netgalley because the blurb promises a good romantic suspense of the erotica variety. The story that unfolds is not a complicated one as it is told from the viewpoints of the hero, heroine and the villain as well who finds help from one of the most unexpected sources in the story.

The hero Will McCoy and heroine Megan Jackson have a shared past as in they were head over heels in love with each other until Megan had ended their relationship 6 months back. Will comes from a rich family whose mother is quite snobbish whilst Megan comes from mixed parentage of a white father and black mother. It is Megan’s grandmother that sacrifices a lot to bring Megan up and see her through college and Megan is forever grateful and wishes no sadness whatsoever upon her grandma.

Six months after Megan and Will’s breakup, Megan witnesses the horrific murder of a woman from the confines of her office on Halloween night which the police do not seem to believe for the lack of evidence that any such crime took place. The first person that Megan thinks of when she is found in this predicament knowing that the killer is out looking for her is her ex-boyfriend Will who comes to her side after just one phone call.

Even though Will knows that he has no self control over his emotions when it comes to the one woman that he loves to the point of obsession, he can’t say no to her plea of help and that is how Megan and Will once again find themselves embroiled in the heady passion that had been so much a part of their relationship. Megan constantly reminds herself that what they start up once again cannot be permanent whilst Will doesn’t want to give up hope that this time round they can work things out. And as the killer ups the stakes and continues to stalk Megan having the uncanny ability to find out their hideouts, Will knows that this is the one time in life he should not fail the woman who is counting on him.

To be honest I wasn’t that wowed with the story that took place. I found both Megan and Will lacking as characters, where Megan grated on my nerves by constantly going back and forth between what she feels for Will and what she feels it is that she must do. Will though serves to be a sexy and protective hero didn’t make the cut because he didn’t man up and make Megan confront the real issues that were standing between them. Although I didn’t overly like Will and Megan I still found this short romantic suspense to be a good read, a book for fans of erotic contemporary romantic suspense.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Fight or Flight by Natalie J. Damschroder

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Tyler Sloane
Heroine: Chelsea Conrad/Regan Miller
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 28, 2011
Started On: March 27, 2011
Finished On: March 27, 2011

Natalie J. Damschroder is a new author for me. Having never heard of her before didn’t stop me from requesting for an ARC of this title on Netgalley, which is to be released on the 28th of this month from Carina Press. The cover was what drew me to the story at first and then the blurb gave the impression that this could be my kind of story. And from the very first chapter itself, Fight or Flight reeled me in and kept me captivated, turning the pages to reach its conclusion, to see how Regan and Sloan fare in the end.

37 year old Regan Miller is a woman who has been on the run, who has continually looked over her shoulder for any danger that may come for the past 19 years. Regan had lost her parents in a home invasion when she had been 12 years old and had become a victim of the foster care system from which she had escaped with the help of an excellent social worker who opened up the opportunity for her to enroll in an elite boarding school in California where she meets Scott Harrison the father of her daughter Kelsey. The news of Regan’s pregnancy had brought immense joy to Scott which had been short lived as Scott ends up giving up his life to save that of his pregnant girlfriend and to warn her to run for her life.

Regan is a woman who would do anything to keep her daughter safe, even if it means working hard at creating a facade of normalcy in their lives. Kelsea had grown up thinking that her mother suffers from psychological problems at worst, living life constantly at the edge waiting for a danger that had never materialized.

But the minute Regan lets her guard down enough to invite even a semblance of normalcy into her life, the danger that she has been waiting for explodes into her life without a care for the wake of destruction and chaos it leaves behind. 18 years of training and words of advice Regan has given kicks in when Kelsey receives the call that brings life as she knows it tumbling down right in front of her.

And thus begins a race against unknown enemies who are willing to cross anything or anyone that stands between them and Kelsey. It is Regan’s sexy next door neighbor of 2 years Tyler Sloane that steps into help at the most unexpected hour, someone who seems to know more about them than he lets on, earning Regan’s continued distrust as danger continues to greet them at every turn. However, even a lifetime habit of being wary around people doesn’t stop Regan from responding to the heat that flares between her and Tyler every time, a fire that burns out of control long before Tyler gains Regan’s full trust.

With surprising twists towards the end, Fight or Flight is a novel that lives up to its very well deserved title. Regan’s race to keep her daughter safe at all costs is one that requires her to be vigilant at all times, ready to fight dirty or to flee and get the hell out when the moment calls for it. The adventure of the nail-biting variety is non-stop which is complemented by the very well done and explosive scenes of passion between Tyler and Regan whose feelings blossom amidst all the chaos that reigns.

I enjoyed my first novel by Natalie immensely which features a kick-ass heroine who would lay down her very life for the daughter she loves. Tyler is a bit of a mystery throughout the story until towards the end when everything about him comes to light. Even then, the story is not told from his point of view at any stage in the story, but his feelings are well portrayed by other means which makes his feelings towards Regan seem more real.

My only peeve with the story is the lack of a proper ending; for me the way the story concluded seemed a  bit rushed. I would have loved to see Regan’s life with Tyler afterwards, a completely different Regan from the woman she has been forced to be for the past 18 years of her life.

I finish off my review with a quote from the story, the scene where Tyler tries to confess his feelings towards a Regan who is not at all ready to hear what he has got to say – lending the moments that follow a more emotional wrangling quality which would have not been possible if otherwise.

“Regan.”
It was low, almost pleading. The curtain moved slightly. Regan pulled away from the wall and slid it sideways enough to see his face, and the pain and hope there almost undid her.
“Tyler,” she whispered, and then there was no space to say more. He caught her against him, his towel falling to the floor, his mouth capturing hers in a desperate, plunging kiss. One hand braced on the back of her neck and the other just above her hips, he stepped over the edge of the tub and crowded her against the wall.
Regan fell. Not physically, because she held him as tightly as he held her, and neither one was letting go. But she fell just the same, into a swirling maelstrom of desire and fear and need.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Carina Press

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