Category / Contemporary

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Dark Waters by Toni Anderson

Format: E-bookdarkwaters
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Untitled Series, #2
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Hero: Brent Carver
Heroine: Anna Silver
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: August 6, 2013
Started On: July 29, 2013
Finished On: July 30, 2013

Nearly 40 years old, Brent Carver is an ex-con who is on parole after being served life sentence. Brent likes to keep to himself, living on a remote island that he knows like the back of his hand. Handsome as sin and tempting as they come, Brent is a man tormented by the dark shadows of his past, paying a penance that had seen half of his life spent behind bars.

26 year old Anna Silver is a teacher who likes her life calm and chaos free, something she strives hard to achieve be it even by locking down all her emotions. With a past that is shrouded in darkness that more than explains her ice cold character that is a front for every emotion that she keeps at bay, Anna is not at all prepared to receive the news of the death of her father and the fact that she has to run for her life and rely on the only man that her father trusts to keep her safe.

When Anna turns up on Brent’s doorstep, she unravels all the layers of protection that Brent uses to keep people at bay. The attraction that flares to life between him and his best friend’s daughter is not one that settles well with Brent who is hellbent on keeping her at arm’s distance which works well and fine until Anna discovers that she practically smolders in the presence of Brent and Brent alone and that she would rather burn than turn away from the way he makes her feel.

With merciless killers hunting her down, it is a race against time as Anna tries to figure out the truth behind her father’s message, something that is a tougher challenge given the fact that she has little trust for her father. With the viewpoints of multiple characters in the story told in the 3rd person, Dark Waters by Toni Anderson is a romantic suspense novel that would shake the readers to their very core and is definitely the kind that would make one lose their precious sleep over!

Brent Carver was just the right mix of hot, broody, intense and darkness to melt me from the inside out. And yes, I melted on the spot from the very first encounter with the heady specimen of male he is and never looked back. The sacrifices he made, perhaps through a misguided sense of responsibility for a life that had gone awry when he had been a mere teenager more than makes up for the “crime” that he has been serving more than half of his life for. The beauty and the unleashed passion deep inside of him comes when he lets go & puts paintbrush to paper. His connection to Anna is one that is forged long before Anna even knew of his existence and that is the thread that continues to pull at him and totally eviscerates the walls he has built around himself to keep those whom he cares about at bay.

Anna is a wonderful heroine who has just the right balance to complement a man like Brent. Her nightmares are still vivid and haunts her even though she refuses to acknowledge their existence. But Brent and the sharp shards of awareness that shoots through her with each passing day in his presence makes it near impossible for her to shut him out, and the protection and safety she finds in his arms becomes the soothing balm that seems to heal the old hurts that had never seen the light of day.

Honestly, Dark Waters by Toni Anderson is one of the best romantic suspense novels I have read this year. Toni Anderson completely blew me away with what she has brought to readers with her realistic characters, gritty emotions and the out of this world suspense with enough twists & turns in the story to keep the reader guessing that keeps the momentum going at full throttle. Only thing I missed was an epilogue to give a glimpse into how Brent and Anna fairs later on; its only right to give readers a beautiful epilogue to let the story really seep into the pores and cement the deal in my opinion. Regardless of that little trifling detail, Dark Waters by Toni Anderson comes highly recommended & doesn’t change the fact that it was a read that rocked my world. Fans of romantic suspense who loves the perfect balance in the romance, heat and suspense of the dark edged variety would love this one!

Final Verdict: Dark & gritty with excitement and danger at the turn of each page; Dark Waters is definitely recommended!

Favorite Quotes

A low growl rumbled through his chest and then he was kissing her hard and deep, his tongue tangling with hers in a searing dance. Hunger exploded along her nerves. Her heart hammered. Breath coming in gasps. Her fingers slipped beneath his shirt, sliding over taut hot skin. She felt him shiver even though he made no move to touch her. He was letting her take everything at her speed, giving her the sort of control she usually craved.

“I want you to touch me, Brent. I want you inside me.”
“I am touching you.” He was annihilating her. He let go of her wrists and shifted one hand to torture a beaded nipple. “And I am inside you.” His teeth grazed her neck. Two big fingers plunged deep, the heel of his hand pressing against her clitoris just hard enough to make her explode from the onslaught of sensations. Every nerve blasted like a firework, white light blinding her and she opened her mouth in a silent scream as it went on and on and on.

She held on tight to his shoulders, wanting to touch him, but knowing if she let go, she’d fall, and if she fell, he’d stop touching her.
She did not want him to stop.
One of his hands moved south and eased inside her panties. Her back arched up as he slid one finger inside her. “You’re so fucking hot.”
“For you,” she gasped, and let her head fall back as he moved his finger inside her, then added another, the fullness testing her. She dug her nails into his shoulders. “I want you, Brent.”

Then she started rising up and sliding down and he thought he was going to black out. He couldn’t stand it anymore and gripped her hips and drove deeper, deeper, harder. Grinding against her, wanting to get more inside her so she could swallow him whole. Then she cried out in those small gasps that curled around him and squeezed so tight he could no longer breathe. He let himself go, the hard release catapulting him to the moon as a nuclear explosion of white-hot ecstasy burned his mind, obliterating every thought in his head except this. Except her.

There was nothing gentle this time. No holding back as her body demanded more, fingers biting, ankles digging into his ass. This was therapy. A way of getting off and getting some sleep. It was raw sex on a deserted beach and they both needed it.
He drove her to another orgasm and followed her over the razor’s edge, resting his forehead in the curve of her shoulder as he shattered. Then he carried her into the water and they did it again.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

fantasticread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Home to Laura by Mary Sullivan

Format: E-bookhometolaura.jpg
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Untitled Series, #2
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Nick Jordan
Heroine: Laura Cameron
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 1, 2013
Started On: July 27, 2013
Finished On: July 29, 2013

Right after reading and finishing up In from the Cold by Mary Sullivan, I had to go and buy the second book in this sort of series that tells and concludes the stories of the other two Jordan brothers, Nick and Tyler. While Tyler is the middle brother who is the most easygoing of the trio, Nick is the brother who has a chip on his shoulder, not because he had a terrible childhood or was abused; but rather he feels that he is invisible when he stands next to his brothers given the poverty within which they all lived in.

At 32 years of age, Nick is the proverbial story of success. A multimillionaire and CEO of Sanderson Developments, Nick seems to have got it all from the high powered job to a daughter who fulfills the rest of his life. But appearances can be deceiving and of late Nick has to admit that his life has been tinged with an emptiness that he cannot shake off, and it is the  thought that he might end up an empty shell of a man like his ex-father in law, mentor and boss Mort Sanderson that galvanizes Nick into taking action that would save him from a future filled with nothing but a gut aching loneliness and despair.

35 year old Laura Cameron is the owner of the delightful bakery in the town of Accord, Colorado. Lushly beautiful and sensual, Laura yearns for a family of her own, the chance for one which she destroyed the night she slept with her fiance’s brother Nick and he discovered them together. Nick might have been motivated by spite and the need for revenge on his older brother Gabe but Laura had always harbored a secret fascination and attraction towards Nick, something which she buried in the deep recesses of her heart along with the contempt, anger and loathing for the man who wouldn’t think twice and would go to any lengths to get exactly what he wants.

When Nick returns to town with his daughter Emily in tow, Laura and Nick’s paths cross once again, a more vulnerable Laura this time, who just had her “last” chance at a family slip away through her fingers. A one night of incandescent passion once again occurs between the two and this time Laura bears the fruit of their union which Nick wants to vehemently shake himself off from. Amidst the story of misunderstandings and coming to realizations on Nick’s part is also threaded the story of Tyler and Tammy and also the deliciously lovely and sensual story of the Scottish artist Aiden McQuorrie and Laura’s mother Olivia Cameron.

Truth be told, though I am a huge fan of heroes who have a bit of a dark edge to them, oh well who am I kidding, the darker they are the more I like them; I found it impossible to really like Nick as a person, much less a hero. I found him to be vain, self-centered and had a lot to really learn where life and its intricacies are concerned. The way he reacts to Laura’s pregnancy was one which I couldn’t get over from, but I think an honest reaction from a man like Nick who refuses to be tied down and does not want to bear anymore children. I felt like slapping Nick a time or two on his face, just so he would see exactly what was happening, how unfair it was of him to really believe that everything he wanted was his for taking and that deep sense of resentment he had harbored in his heart for his eldest brother something that should never have existed in the first place. The effect of spoiling a child rotten is what Nick is, with just a hint of goodness inside of him, buried under layer and layer of resentment and old hurts that I could not really get on board with.

Laura is the type of heroine that reminded me of Sarah from Sarah’s Child by Linda Howard. She is gutsy, sensual, beautiful and not afraid of being who she is, though Nick makes her regret her impulsive earthy behavior after the night of passion they share. Nick’s one saving grace was the fact that he, be it even out of sense of duty to Laura as a “friend”, takes care of her when she needs it and later on, goes to restore her sense of self confidence where her sensuality and impulsive passion is concerned.

The one bit I loved in the story was the tale of how the very much younger Scottish artist wooed Laura’s mother Olivia. Now, that should have been the center of this whole story which would have made for all sorts of deliciousness in my opinion.

I would still rate Home to Laura a good read because even though there were bits that didn’t work for me in the overall story, the chunks that did work seemed to make up for them.

Recommended for fans of Mary Sullivan & fans of this untitled series set in Accord, Colorado.

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

goodread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: In from the Cold by Mary Sullivan

Format: E-bookinfromthecold
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Untitled Series, #1
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Gabe Jordan
Heroine: Callie MacKintosh
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: February 5, 2013
Started On: July 27, 2013
Finished On: July 27, 2013

37 year old Gabe Jordan is the ultimate recluse, or so it seems to people who barely know him. The owner of a dogsledding business on family owned property in the town of Accord, Colorado, Gabe is a man who harbours a deep sense of guilt and an ultimate sense of responsibility for those under his care. The nightmares that won’t leave him be makes him retreat into a shell of his own where his world has no colour, joy or the hope of a better future in it until one feisty little redhead comes bulldozing her way into his life.

33 year old Callie MacKintosh is a city girl to the very core, with determination pretty much marking every single line of her small body. She might look small but what she doesn’t make up for in size is more than made up for by the vital energy that surrounds her and the beauty which sees in life no matter how tough things get for her.

Told from the viewpoints of both Callie and Gabe in the third person, Callie and Gabe’s worlds collide when Callie is tasked with swaying Gabe’s mind on selling his share of the family property to his brother Nick who happens to be Callie’s overdriven and overly ambitious boss. Callie has no choice but to go against the very principles she has lived by all her life to do Nick’s bidding, even when she starts to feel more than she should for the man on whom she is supposed to be working her powers of persuasion on.

The reason I love Harlequin Superromances is the fact that yes, they are so much more than a hero and heroine falling in love with each other and finding their happily ever after. Though that forms the basis of the storyline, what is surprising is the depth of characterisation brought into each of these stories that makes these books worth delving into.

In from the Cold served to be a great read, a story that compelled me to keep turning the pages until the very end, not only just because Callie and Gabe enticed me to do so, but because the secondary characters and romance in the book urged me to keep going.

Gabe is a sweetheart of a hero, there is no way on Earth you can read his story and not fall in love with this gentle giant of a man who harbours such a wealth of pain in his heart. And Callie served to be just the right sort of woman who could get him to open up and dare to hope for a future that is not the bleakness that has been his life for far too long. Callie has her own share of worries and demons to deal with and Gabe serves to be the one person who sees through all the protective layers that surround her and see right through to the heart of the woman.

Nick serves to be the villain that is shrouded in shades of grey. His story is up next and I cannot wait to find out what has got to be coming his way. He deserves to be smacked on his forehead a couple of times for being such a selfish person whose drive and ambition to succeed in life is the root of all the problems in the story. But then, I loved the emotional upheaval his character brought to the story and wouldn’t have had it any other way.

The best bit about this read? These are characters that have made mistakes and make mistakes along the way to their happily ever after. These are characters are what you would call real in every sense. And that’s what makes this book a winner for me.

A great read, recommended for fans of Harlequin romances with substance.

Final Verdict: A story that grows on you & makes you burn for the happily ever after.

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

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: All on the Line by Emma Jay

Format: E-bookallontheline
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Blackwolf Hot Shots, #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Callaghan Sinclair
Heroine: Jaci Nichols
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: May 15, 2013
Started On: July 26, 2013
Finished On: July 26, 2013

He did something he never thought he’d do.
He kissed one of his crew.

28 year old Callaghan Sinclair (Cal) is the new crew chief of Blackwolf Hot Shots, one of the youngest to be handed over the responsibility of leading a team as such. Cal doesn’t want to screw anything up that might jeopardize his career as a firefighter and thus keeps his distance from the members of his group until the delectable Jaci Nichols walks into his life and changes the rules by which he lives.

All On The Line is a pretty short novella of just about 50+ pages on iBooks. However that doesn’t diminish the heat and at times emotion packed story that Emma Jay delivered. Jaci is a heroine who really surprised me. For one thing, there is no shyness about her when it comes to the carnal pleasures; rather she is not afraid to admit that she is good at certain things that tends to blow Cal’s mind and concentration to pieces.

Jaci has the ability to bring the big and brawny alpha to his very knees and though Cal might try to resist the lure that Jaci presents, it is a game that he has already lost when Jaci proves to be as enticing to him out of bed as she is in it.

Recommended for fans of firefighter heroes, fans of delicious erotica and fans of Emma Jay.

Final Verdict: Hot little number that singes! Emma Jay is an author erotic romance lovers must read!

Favorite Quotes

His cock throbbed, what little blood remained in his head roared past his ears, drowning out all good sense. Looping his arm around her waist, he lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He pushed against her, against her heat. She curved her hands against his face, her mouth hot and eager, her tongue sliding along his, her teeth nipping his lip.

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

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Take Me Under by Rhyannon Byrd

Format: E-booktakemeunder.jpg
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Dangerous Tides, #1
Publisher: Berkley
Hero: Ben Hudson
Heroine: Reese Monroe
Sensuality: 4.9
Date of Publication: June 4, 2013
Started On: July 20, 2013
Finished On: July 22, 2013

34 year old Ben Hudson is the new sheriff of the idyllic holiday beach town of Moss Beach, Florida. Having given up his position as a homicide detective in Miami due to circumstances that had unfolded during his last investigation, Ben moves to town to take things at a more sedately pace. Ben has a reputation for working hard and playing that much harder and is never afraid of going after what he wants. The only thing that scares the bejeesus out of his is emotional entanglements of any sort.

Newly divorced 28 year old Reese Monroe moves to Moss Beach aiming to kickstart her life in a whole new direction. Her marriage to a cheating scoundrel has pretty much dented her ego and eroded her sense of self esteem and the need to escape from the mess her life had become motivates the move more than anything else.

Ben has hungered for Reese ever since the night he laid his eyes on Reese three years back. He has bided his time, always knowing deep inside that if and whenever Reese becomes free from the clutches of her good for nothing husband, he would definitely make his move and leave them both with the scorching imprint of how good things could be with them between the sheets.

Told from both Ben and Reese’s points of view in third person, Take Me Under takes place in its entirety in Moss Beach, Florida.

The connection between Ben and Reese sizzles right from the onset, a very much wary Reese who has no idea of how much of a starring role she has played in the sexy sheriff’s fantasies a little bit taken aback by the zeal with which Ben pursues her. And when it comes to light that Reese has a stalker who might have made his way to her new hometown on her heels, there is no stopping the protective instinct that surges forth in Ben and he becomes more of a force to be reckoned with which means for Reese there really is no turning back.

Rhyannon Byrd is very talented in the style with which she effortlessly blends the erotic and downright dirty sex into whatever genre of romance she works on. It has been while since she has published a contemporary romance and Take Me Under was a novel that I had been very much in anticipation for ever since she announced its release. Though it didn’t live up to all my expectations, Take Me Under proved to be a hot and panty-melting read with a dirty talking hero tossed into the mix.

Ben seemed to be a bit overwhelming to me; and I believe this just might be the first time I’m saying that about a hero, especially someone who looks like Christian Bale of all people. Forceful in his nature, Ben is a man from whom a woman can’t hide, either during the moments of passion or otherwise. And Ben is greedy enough to want everything Reese can give, although he might not be ready for the overwhelming riot of emotions that blindsides him as much as the passion between them does. The only thing that Ben is more afraid of than anything else is opening up the raw wounds that has festered for far too long inside of him.

Reese knows exactly what she is getting into when she says yes to getting down and dirty with Ben, and she goes onto show it in more ways than one, which actually seems to do a pretty good job of annoying Ben out of his stance on no messy emotional entanglements. It was quite amusing to see Ben in a role that he has never found himself in before as he reluctantly comes to the conclusion that without Reese by his side, he might just as well not exist.

I’m pretty much looking forward to Alex’s story, which seems to be in the works if the ending was anything to judge the next book in the series by. Alex certainly looks to be a hero who would be worth all the heartache he would put a reader through before embracing his own happily ever after.

Recommended for fans of Rhyannon Byrd and erotic contemporary romantic suspense.

Final Verdict: Raw & explicit, Take Me Under is a good debut for the Dangerous Tides series.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

goodread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Escaping Reality by Lisa Renee Jones

Format: E-bookescapingreality
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: The Secret Life of Amy Bensen, #1
Publisher: Julie Patra Publishing
Hero: Liam Stone
Heroine: Amy Bensen
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: July 22, 2013
Started On: July 17, 2013
Finished On: July 20, 2013

His touch spirals through me, warm and sweet, wicked and hot. I shouldn’t trust him. I shouldn’t tell him my secrets. But how do I not when he is the reason I breathe? He is what I need.

Liam Stone is a reclusive billionaire and philanthropist, a brilliant architect whose work is coveted by anyone and everyone who wants to make a long lasting impression in terms of building architecture and landmarks. A man who hugs his own demons far too close to comfort, Liam is a man used to taking charge, going after what he wants and winning.

Amy Bensen is a woman who is on the run, who has been on the run since she’d been 18 years old. Blending in with the rest is what does best, drawing attention to herself something that makes her palpitate in the fear that whatever or whoever she is running from would get the best of her.

Amy and Liam’s paths cross when the unseen danger comes calling once again, requiring her to leave whatever semblance of normalcy she has had for the past couple of years and leave everything behind. With the attraction and sense of awareness that trickles to life between them real and hard to ignore even from the very start, Amy finds herself breaking all her self appointed rules when it comes to Liam and how utterly and thoroughly he wreaks havoc on all her senses. Told in first person from Amy’s point of view alone, Escaping Reality is the first book in the two book series, The Secret Life of Amy Bensen.

Escaping Reality is my very first book by the New York Times Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones. Amy’s story is one that calls out to the reader, one there is no escape from once you start reading. With the turn of each page, Lisa embroils you deeper into the unfolding relationship between the darkly handsome Liam, whose contrasting nature of being demanding in the bedroom and protective out of it tugs at your heartstrings.

Liam is a force to be reckoned with. One doesn’t assume the role of being a billionaire after having grown up barely making ends meet without becoming one. His utter focus on Amy and uncovering the secrets that makes her flinch away from life and all the possibilities it has to offer is one that compels the reader to keep turning the pages. There is a darker side to Liam, a side that he mostly hides from the rest of the world. The moment of desperation that revealed that side of him was in essence the point where I felt myself get drawn deeper into his character.

Amy has been running for so long, looking over her shoulder for the danger in pursuit of her, from the bits and pieces of memories that haunt and taunt her for so long that its almost as if she has known no other way of life. Liam is the rule breaker, the man who disturbs and destructs all the plans she has laid out in her mind to play her role in the game of survival that has become her life for the past six years.

Amy might want to turn around and run, run as far away as she can from Liam and all that he comes to mean to her in the short span of time that takes to form the bond between them, but something holds her back, the need within her that spirals out of control every time Liam lays his eyes on her. It is her undying need to be with him and protect him from her at all and any cost that finally makes Amy take that vital step towards seeking answers for the questions that has always been at the back of her mind, never being answered for the lack of courage within her to step in that direction.

Escaping Reality of course concludes with a cliffhanger ending which leaves the reader practically itching to find how the series will conclude, the curiosity which will only be sated coming October.

Final Verdict: Relentless; with the hint of danger & darkness snapping at the heels of the turn of every page, Escaping Reality is an unstoppable page-turner!

Favorite Quotes

His fingers curve around my neck, tugging my mouth near his, teasing me with the promise of a kiss. “You have no idea just how demanding I can be.” And with that erotic promise, his tongue slices into my mouth, a silky, hot caress that seems to touch every inch of my now tingling body. The taste of him, of hot passion and desire, sizzles through my senses, and my fingers splay on the hard wall of his chest.

He advances on me and I swallow the rest of my sentence. I start to back away but he is already in front of me, his hands on my waist. I suck in a breath, and just that fast, I’m on the counter, skirt up, knees apart, and the fingers of one of his hands tunnel into my hair. His mouth slants over mine, his tongue licking into my mouth, and he doesn’t taste tender. Not one little bit. He tastes like the raw, honest passion he’s promised this night will hold. And he tastes like me.

There is just the wild passion consuming us, and he is touching me, moving inside me, and I am going crazy with my hands tied. I want to touch him. I need to touch him.
He is on edge too, his grip tightening around my hips, his face buried in my neck, and with a guttural moan, he pushes harder, deeper, and my sex is one deep pulse around his shaft that begins a wave of pleasure and spreads through my entire body. I am there. I am falling, tumbling, and finally, I crash into that sweet spot.

Purchase Links: Amazon

awesomeread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: Trust In Me by Dee Tenorio

Format: E-booktrustinme
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Rancho Del Cielo, #5
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd
Hero: Havelocke Jackman
Heroine: Susie Packard
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: July 23, 2013
Started On: July 13, 2013
Finished On: July 14, 2013

Havelocke Jackman (Locke) is the man who gave up most of his youth and raised six siblings on his own. A man of few words, Locke is someone who is tied down to his hometown of Rancho Diel Cielo.

Lingerie designer and owner of Susie’s Suite Shoppe moves into Rancho Diel Cielo to finally stop running from the demons that haunt her. Putting down roots is something Susie doesn’t believe to be an option available to her. Neither is giving into the answering heat that flares to life in the depths of her soul whenever Locke is around.

From the moment Susie had breezed into town and opened shop right in front of his own, something inside Locke had clicked into place and there had been no going back for him. Now, to convince the stubborn & infuriating woman he had fallen in love with to give them a chance? Well, thats a totally different matter altogether.

With a contemporary setting and told in third person from both Locke and Susie’s points of view, Trust In Me is the 5th book in the Rancho Del Cielo series. It can be read as a standalone.

Trust In Me is a novel that lives up to its name. Its about Susie’s inability to trust – with good reason of course, in anyone being there for her without wanting anything in return. The man who takes up the task is someone who is equally stubborn, maybe even more so because Locke certainly has a way of pushing all her buttons, just by being in the same room as her.

Locke is the dreamiest sort of hero, the type of hero that would make any woman go weak at the knees. A bit growly, a lil bit broody and a whole lot of sexy, his bewilderment at certain times given the situation is as endearing as his patience when it comes to Susie. For Locke, its Susie or no woman at all; for him making her feel the same way about him becomes his life mission, even if it means breaking his own heart in the process.

One thing that continually draws me into Dee’s stories is the thread of acerbic humor that is always a part of her storytelling and Trust In Me is no exception. Don’t get me wrong in thinking that Trust In Me is all light and fluff; hardly that. There are dark bits in the story that stirred something deep inside of me. I flinched while reading some parts, the horrors of what Susie had gone through something no one should be subjected to but is far too common in society for one’s peace of mind.

I’d say Locke’s patience makes the story. If it hadn’t been for his unwavering love for Susie that is tried & tested too many times to count, well lets just say this happily ever after would have gone in a whole different direction then. Sometimes Susie had me wondering whether she would be worth all the hassle of going back and forth and treading lightly where she’s concerned. Well, you gotta read and find out for yourself. If you love intense, broody and over the top protective sort of heroes, Trust In Me is definitely recommended.

Final Verdict: Sass, toe-curling sex and love with a dash of big, broody & hot.

Favorite Quotes

“I love you so much, Locke.” Her eyes, where so many secrets hid, were clear and true, shining with proud tears that wrenched at the scars connecting his heart to his soul. “Only you. Only ever you.”
His mouth crashed down, finding hers through the blinding sensation of his body taking over. He pulled back, thrusting into her to the hilt. No finesse, no thought, just raw, driving instinct. She clung, crying out as her channel spasmed around his cock. He had no idea what he was doing now, lost in the feel of her, the hot, wet clench of their bodies continuing to strain… Whimpers turned to hoarse screams, her arms clamped around his head, her hold as unrelenting as his force.

She jerked in his hold, curving back so far her hair splashed into the water, his name echoing off the walls as she cried for him. Her sheath gripped him, shuddering strokes stealing the last of his restraint, throwing him over the edge with her. He pulsed with her, aware of nothing but the feel of her coming back down into his arms. Her breath, hot and panting against his neck. Soft kisses, soothing kisses. Her hands smoothed into his hair, cradling him as he finally laid his head on her shoulder. He held her too tightly, he knew, but he couldn’t let go.

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

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Scorsolini Marriage Bargain by Lucy Monroe

Format: E-bookthescorsolinimarriage
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Royal Brides, #5
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Principe Claudio Scorsolini
Heroine: Therese Scorsolini
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: May 1, 2006
Started On: July 9, 2013
Finished On: July 10, 2013

Principe Claudio Scorsolini is the crown prince of Isole dei Re and for him his duty to the country and its people comes first. Therese Scorsolini is the wife of Claudio who marries him under the terms of a marriage of convenience.

Though Therese gets married to Claudio out of love, for Claudio it is an arrangement that guarantees that he can focus on the more important issues of his country rather than undergo the emotional upheavals that are bound to follow once love enters the equation. However, Claudio is not as aloof as he would like to think he is and not at all ready to let Therese walk away from him when it becomes evident that that is exactly what she wants after three years of being together.

The Scorsolini Marriage Bargain is the 5th book in the Royal Brides series and has a contemporary setting which is told from both Claudio and Therese’s points of view in third person.

The Scorsolini Marriage Bargain deals with a very real issue that is faced by a lot of women of today. Therese is faced with the hardest decision of her life when she finds out that she might never be able to provide Claudio with a heir to the throne and for that reason alone, Therese is willing to be the better person and walk away. I could feel Therese’s conflicted emotions as though they were mine and understood her reasons for being unable to come outright and tell Claudio the reason behind her need to walk away.

I loved Claudio, one reason being, he stays true to his character throughout the story. He is committed, loyal and actually enthralled by the woman Therese is. Just how enamored he is by her is revealed slowly as the story progresses. But the angst that was a palpable part of the story was mainly due to Claudio being unaware of the shift in his emotional response to his wife and also due to the lack of proper communication between Therese and himself. Claudio remains clueless about a lot of aspects of their relationship and it was endearing to learn of all his efforts to actually show Therese how much he cares about her. Loved the way he stepped up and took care of Therese when the time called for it. If there is a reason to love Claudio, for me, that alone suffices.

I loved the fact that what Lucy actually portrays in the story, i.e. the issues that Therese and Claudio face in their marriage are the same as any other couple who might undergo such a difficult phase in their marriage; and especially if the communication barriers get broken down. There are underlying messages that Lucy conveys through the story that I received loud and clear.

For one thing assumptions is the mother of all evil where relationships are concerned. Its always healthier to ask and be certain rather than assume the best or the worst about your partner. But then again, relationships are never that simple are they.

Secondly, communication is an integral part of any relationship. If the proper channels of communication does not exist or get broken down along the way, even the smallest of things can get blown out of proportion and in the end might even be the leading cause of a breakup of a relationship. If Claudio and Therese had talked to each other and I mean really talked to each other more often, half of all the agony that both of them went through would have been avoided. But then, it wouldn’t have given me, the reader, all that angst that I absolutely reveled in throughout the story!

Thirdly, yes, there is such a thing as being far too independent. Being independent and getting things done on your own is all well and good, but then there are times that you have to lean on your partner and let him or her take care of you. If Therese had in fact let Claudio know what she was going through and let him help her along the way, they both could have discovered that there is much much more to their relationship than just a convenient arrangement on Claudio’s end.

The one thing that irked me a bit was the fact that Therese went so long without telling Claudio the actual reason behind her wanting to leave. I felt that she dragged it on for a bit too longer than necessary which actually made Claudio draw his own conclusions which certainly didn’t help matters along. And then there were areas in the story that just seemed to rehash the same stuff over and over again which became a bit tiresome to read, but overall, the story managed to captivate me enough to lose a bit of my sleep over it in order to see how Claudio and Therese would fare in the end.

Recommended for fans of Lucy Monroe and fans of angst-ridden romances. This one’s filled with just that!

Final Verdict: The Scorsolini Marriage Bargain should come with the warning; “Emotional roller-coaster ride guaranteed!”.

Favorite Quotes

She opened her eyes to look at him and saw that his head was thrown back in abandon like hers had been, his face etched with sexual pleasure. She leaned forward and bit his chest in an act so primitive, even in her advanced state of passion…it shocked her.
He was not shocked, though, but merely growled and increased the rhythm, slamming into her with pounding force with every thrust. It was so intense, she felt like she was on the verge of shattering into a million over-pleasured bits.

He gripped her tighter and she wrapped her arms around him, pressing to his body, the only sense of reality in a universe exploding from pleasure. He was silent when he climaxed, his teeth bared in a feral grimace that said more eloquently than any words could have how intensely he was feeling.

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

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Escape from Desire by Penny Jordan

Format: E-bookescapefromdesire
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Zachary Fletcher
Heroine: Tamara Forbes
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: January 1, 1983
Started On: July 8, 2013
Finished On: July 8, 2013

Zachary Fletcher is a man of privileged upbringing who had found his calling in serving the army. Aloof, ruthless and cynical, Zach is a man not to be crossed.

Tamara Forbes is 26 years old and engaged to marry the man who she thinks would serve her interests the best, though misgivings and doubts continue to plague her about their suitability as the date draws nearer.

Tamara and Zach’s paths cross when both end up taking a vacation in the Caribbean at the same time. Zach is recuperating while for Tamara its a vacation long overdue. When both of them are held hostage by a terrorist organisation after a hiking trip that goes awry, Tamara must put her trust in a man who is far too masculine, appealing and ruthless on her senses and for her peace of mind. By the time they make it back to civilisation, nothing remains the same.

Escape from Desire has a contemporary setting and takes place in both the Caribbean and London. Story is narrated from only Tamara’s perspective in third person.

I admit I’m someone who likes a whole lot of conflict and angst in my romances, not the type that makes me want to pull my hair out mind you, but the kind that makes you want to swoon into a puddle of dreaminess when all’s said and done.

I like revisiting the Harlequin romances for a reason. They were practically my first  source of adult romances and some of the authors such as Penny Jordan shaped my love for ruthless heroes and the women who fall for them with no way of turning back. And thats exactly what I was looking for when I picked this up to read and exactly what it delivered as well.

Tamara is naive, inexperienced and a bit of a reserved character; not surprising given the way she was brought up. Tamara appears standoffish to a lot of people and that starts chipping away the minute she encounters the enigmatic Zach who makes her instinctively take a step back because even with all her inexperience, she knows that Zach would be dangerous a man to play with.

I sometimes think that perhaps the reason why I am drawn towards heroes who can practically be called assholes is because real life tends to deliver alpha heroes of that variety. But once they fall, and boy do they fall; they are smitten to the point of obsession and displays of possessiveness & jealousy that I absolutely love. And Zach certainly was no exception to the rule. There were moments I wanted to slap him, and then there were moments I wanted to say ‘A-ha’ and sit back and watch with glee as he tried to wrestle with his feelings for Tamara. Though I’d have loved a bit more of the story to have been set in the Caribbean, this still turned out to be a captivating read that I finished in one sitting!

Recommended for fans of older Harlequin romances, fans of ruthless, mean, jealous and possessive heroes and fans of Penny Jordan. Its a testament to her impressive talent that even her earliest novels still holds appeal today.

Final Verdict: Angst-ridden goodness!

Purchase Links: Amazon | AbeBooks

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: The Restoration by Janet White

Format: E-booktherestoration
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Hero: Andrew Somerset
Heroine: Laura Hampton
Sensuality: 2
Date of Publication: April 2013
Started On: July 9, 2013
Finished On: July 9, 2013

Andrew Somerset is an intriguing mix of the past and the present. Revealing who he is would be ruining the story for interested readers.

Laura Hampton is the grieving widow who needs to get away from everything that reminds her of her beloved husband for a much needed timeout from all the grief that is weighing her down after his death.

When Laura’s husband dies a tragic death and she needs to get away, Laura’s well meaning friends offer her the use of their vacation cabin in Asheville. There she finds herself stumbling across an unkempt cemetery which somehow calls out to her to restore it to its original beauty. And when Andrew Somerset crosses her path and intrigues her on more than one level, what follows is a journey that tests the limits of Laura’s endurance and the love that unfurls deep inside of her for a man who is as appealing as he is mysterious.

The Restoration has a contemporary setting and is told from Laura’s point of view in first person. Story has a paranormal edge to it.

One of the things that struck me the most about The Restoration was the compelling writing style that urged me to keep reading this little number in one sitting. There were confusing bits where Laura’s wayward and uncontrollable emotions made everything that was happening surreal but then again it also touched on a subject that few people would like to talk about. The appropriate length of mourning and why society should dictate & judge upon it is a question that sprang to my mind as the story progressed.

The love that exists and comes to life between Laura and Andrew is one that just happens; there is no reason or rhyme to it. And the struggles they go through are real, just like any other couple who passionately love each other with the added burden of the secrets that Andrew holds close to his chest. Though sometimes Laura tended to confuse me with her at times ‘childish’ tantrums, The Restoration proved to be a good read that kept me reading, just to discover what would be the end result of a love that seemed doomed right from the beginning.

Recommended for fans of unusual romances and romances with a bittersweet edge to them.

Final Verdict: With a bittersweet edge to it, The Restoration is definitely a page-turner.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

goodread