Category / Contemporary

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Heartbreaker by Karen Robards

Format: Paperbackheartbreaker
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Dell
Hero: Jess Feldman
Heroine: Lynn Nelson
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: August 24, 2011
Started On: May 22, 2011
Finished On: May 22, 2011

With the end of the world stuff circulating around the Internet and the world media, I picked up quite a fitting read for the occasion, and I promise you that it was all by coincidence. Karen Robards is a favorite author of mine and every now and then I pick up something of hers just to get my fix of Ms. Robards who delivers kick-ass romantic suspense with a superb dose of sensuality in almost all of her novels of the genre. Similarly Heartbreaker is a contemporary romantic suspense packed with non-stop action and a race against time as well as the bad guys with a heady mix of humor in it that makes this a great read!

35 year old Lynn Nelson, anchorwoman of WMAQ Chicago is on a vacation from Hell. Lynn had signed up for a 10 day long wilderness vacation just so she can try and work on her relationship with her 14 year old daughter Rory who seems to have a bone to pick with her lately. Lynn is not someone who is at all prepared to “bond” with nature and with her plans to spend more time with Rory backfiring in her face, Lynn is resigned to having a miserable time on the 1st vacation she has taken in 3 years when danger strikes propelling Lynn and her daughter to depend on the last person she would trust for survival.

35 year old Jess Feldman co-owns Adventure Inc. with his elder brother Owen. Jess is handsome, charming and easygoing and has the hots for Lynn from the moment she steps down from the plane to become part of the wilderness vacation which is promoted and carried out by Adventure Inc. And though Lynn makes her disdain for “fake” cowboys clear right from the start, Jess is glutton for punishment as Jess is a man who likes beautiful babes with “balls” as his brother Owen keeps saying.

When a freak accident of nature separates Lynn and Rory from the rest of the group, it is Jess who comes to their rescue, proving that he is the “real” cowboy material time and time again. Surviving the freak accident only to stumble upon one’s worst nightmare, Jess, Rory and Lynn are forced to run for their lives as they are chased through the forest not really knowing what lies in store for them. When a clearer picture emerges from the unfolding events, Jess and Lynn are horrified by the scale to which a mad man who is hell bent on achieving his prophecy of the world coming to an end become true, even if it means taking matters into his own hands, in the most devastating ways possible.

I loved the adventure aspect of this novel. The pace though at the very beginning of the novel tended to be a bit slow for me, once danger comes calling, there is no stopping the chain of events that follows making Heartbreaker a great adventure romance.

I loved Jess’s character. He is the furthest thing from being broody and tortured and all that that makes us ladies go weak at the knees. Contrary to that, Jess is charming, sexy as sin and has a way of teasing Lynn that just brings to light the his endearing qualities. Now before you all go on and think that he is a beta hero, let me stop you right there and say that every single inch of Jess is alpha through and through. When push comes to shove, he is the guy to you can depend on to save you and he certainly proves himself much more than able in ALL the areas that matter *wink*. And I damn near broke out into an applause each single time that Jess kept on surprising Lynn with his true character!

Though the romance aspect of the novel is kept at a minimal, that does’t make the impact of the sexual tension that rises between Jess and Lynn any less and of course the scenes of passion any less memorable. And I so loved the humor-filled tone of the whole story that just kept me on the verge of laughing out loud even through the most tension wrecked moments.

Moving onto Lynn, at first I was ready to project myself into the story and bitch slap her a time or two because she kept getting on my nerves with her less than wonderful attitude. But she does a wonderful job of turning herself around and knowing where her ballsy nature comes from helped in settling my emotions down where she was concerned. In the end, she turns out to be a champion as much as Jess and things do finally end on a happy note with her daughter Rory too! All in all, a very well rounded tale that earns 4 solid stars from the sunny side of life!

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

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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

Requested Review: Coercion by Lux Zakari

Format: E-bookcoercion
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Erotica
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Lyrical Press Inc.
Hero: Michael Vartanian
Heroine: Valerie Mercer
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: August 2, 2010
Started On: May 18, 2011
Finished On: May 18, 2011

I didn’t know what to expect when I delved into Coercion by Lux Zakari but I have got to say that it certainly held my undivided attention throughout which had me going from the start to finish in one sitting, just taking a timeout for toilet breaks in between. I was utterly riveted and fascinated with everything that was going on and for the world of me I couldn’t have dragged myself away from the story that unfolded.

I have a hard time defining Coercion as a romance because simply put, this is not a romance novel. But, Coercion is a story that combines the power of love, the ability of mind numbing lust to obliterate everything else and the lengths to which humans would go to possess the ones that they love.

Valerie Mercer is an only child and an introverted and insecure one at that who in her aim to change her life for the better sheds 25 pounds and emerges with a new look just in time for the start of the new semester. Though guys who have never noticed her before seems to be doing the total opposite, the only guy that Valerie wants to be noticed by is the one and only Michael Vartanian, the proverbial bad-boy of Kenton.

Michael is the only son of a Reverend, whose mother just one day upped and left and never returned. Michael doesn’t seem to care about anything in his life apart from being with his on and off girl friend Kim Breza (Breeze) and getting his kicks from indulging in the forbidden.

When circumstances at first drives Michael to seek Valerie, she is more than willing to be driven out of her senses right up against her mother’s car. And though Michael has no intention of returning any of what Valerie so obviously feels for him, time and time again Michael seeks her out, and makes use of her only to discard her once the deed is done. There is nothing on Earth that Valerie wouldn’t do to keep Michael by her side, to earn his love and approval, even if it means going against each and every belief that she has upheld till now.

In the end, there is no happily ever after for either of them, but nevertheless it was a fitting end to the volatile stream of emotions that this novel seems to be able to invoke in abundance, leaving a bittersweet tang in the air, which had me wistfully wishing for a novel that would portray the new Michael that would emerge from what follows the conclusion of this story.

Coercion is a novel that delivers well in the angst department, drawing me in until I was as helplessly ensnared in the story as Valerie seems to be with Michael. Michael is a hero not many readers would be willing to take. But I applaud Lux Zakari for having the guts to come out and write such a hero and send out a huge thank you to Lyrical Press for publishing this novel as it is. Because whilst happily ever afters and rosy kisses at the end are all well and good, Coercion is a novel that rings true to real life in so many ways which makes this book all that much better.

Whilst Michael makes you want to sit back in horrified fascination it is Valerie that you want to shake up well and good to make her see that it is Valerie that gives Michael the ability to screw up her life in more ways than one. In the end, Coercion does leave one with the valuable lesson that in order to be loved for who you are, you need to love yourself for who you are – all that more.

I loved this utterly fascinating piece of work and would recommend this highly to readers who want something a LOT more different than the usual romance novels that your erotica generally delivers. This ones made of much more and if you are a reader like myself this one would leave you definitely wanting more of Michael, no matter how unlikely it may seem. And that is a testament to Lux Zakari’s ability to spin a well rounded tale which certainly lands her in my list of authors to look out for in the future.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Anything You Want by Erin Nicholas

Format: E-bookanythingyouwant
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Marc Sterling
Heroine: Sabrina Rose Cassidy
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: March 15, 2011
Started On: May 17, 2011
Finished On: May 18, 2011

Anything You Want by Erin Nicholas is exactly what the doctor ordered for my restless craving to read something evocative and different. A huge shout out of thanks to Cari Quinn, one of the most fabulous authors out there who was wonderful enough to recommend this to me when I was feeling down in the dumps, wondering what to read to get myself out of this funk which I have found myself in lately.

Sabrina Rose Cassidy is down on her luck, stranded in a strange town, with no money and no means of getting herself back home to Justice after 4 whole years of being away, trying to find that elusive something that would fulfill her and curb the restlessness that has always been a part of her. Now pregnant, Sabrina wants to do the right thing, make the right decisions for the first time in her life, even if it means going back and facing all those whom she left behind when she left to pursue her dreams.

When Marc Sterling receives a call meant for his best friend Luke Hamilton, the last thing he expects is to hear the voice of Sabrina, the woman who broke his best friend’s heart and left town right after rejecting his marriage proposal. Not wanting  to subject Luke to Sabrina’s brand of charm is what has Marc hopping into a car and travelling 6 hours to reach the woman who makes his hackles rise just by existing. But what Marc doesn’t expect to happen is for Sabrina to stir his senses up and give him the fastest hard-on in history and to see the unexpected flare of desire burn in Sabrina’s eyes right back at him.

For two people who has a history of being unable to tolerate each other’s presence, the forced intimacy Marc and Sabrina are subjected to has both of them re-evaluating how they see each other, each finding qualities in the other that draws them in like a  moth to flame. Back home in Justice, Luke does the expected which has Marc reeling in sheer frustration amongst other things, knowing that he possibly cannot want to possess the woman whom his brother is set on marrying.

Anything You Want is a contemporary romance that has got everything going for it. In-depth character development that had me falling in love with each and every single character that came up in the story, wonderful dialogs that had me smiling, and of course the sexual innuendos that fly between Sabrina and Marc which just ups the sizzling heat factor in the book makes this a story of the cannot-put-down-for-the-life-of-me kind.

Marc is a wonderful hero, who starts out resenting Sabrina and her dependent nature on Luke which Marc knows is of the destructive kind, but later finds himself hopelessly ensnared by the different facets of the woman Sabrina really turns out to be. Sabrina is a heroine who starts out looking as a self-centered woman who knows just how to keep Luke dangling after her, but her character as it unfolds is so much more complex, layer after layer which Marc unfurls to find the passionate woman inside.

Sabrina is a woman who is faced with a tough choice. On one side is the man who offers her the security that she craves, the choice she knows that she should make in order to give her baby everything he or she deserves. On the other side is the man who makes her insides go weak just by walking into the room, whose way of calling her “Seattle” has her wanting to jump his bones each and every single time. He is the man who understands her, who wants to set her free so that she can do what it is that she loves doing, and never ever have to wonder “What if?”.

I don’t think I can do an adequate job of outlining just how much I loved everything about this story from its heartwarming characters and setting to the very well done sex scenes of the toe-curling variety that I just reveled in. Now I can’t help but want to find out whether Luke and the very unusual Kat gets their story, which I am hoping fervently that it does come out because it is so obvious that they are meant to be together.

Very highly recommended for fans of contemporary romances featuring a hot-as-sin hero and a heroine who finds where she belongs – in the arms of the man she least expects to find the cure for her restless wandering.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Fourth Child by C.J. Carmichael

Format: Paperbackthefourthchild
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: 9 Months Later, #23
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Kirk Ridgeway
Heroine: Claire Elizabeth Adams
Sensuality: 2.9
Date of Publication: May 1, 2000
Started On: May 17, 2011
Finished On: May 17, 2011

I have been in a kind of restless place lately wanting to get my hands on something unusual to read. I started with 2 books yesterday which I gave up reading after around half way through because the stories somehow didn’t end up being what I was looking for. And so not to give up on my quest to find something different, I turned to this little number in my TBR pile, a paperback I acquired a couple of weeks back because of its unusual theme.

The Fourth Child delves into a topic that we come across rarely in romance novels. Because lets face it, no one wants to read about infidelity that involves either the hero or heroine, wanting our time out from the real world to be as picture perfect as possible. This book begins into the twelfth year of marriage between Kirk and Claire, whose life seems to be just about perfect to someone viewing it from the other side.

Well into her 30’s, Claire is the mother of three beautiful daughters with the news of a fourth child on the way when mere ten minutes later her husband Kirk drops the bombshell that he is in love with someone else. Kirk’s involvement with Janice begins innocently enough until six months later Kirk is forced to admit that their seemingly innocent get togethers have certainly turned into something of the more intimate variety which has Kirk questioning himself on whether he is ready to give up Claire and his girls for a few moments of guilty pleasure.

Claire feels as if her whole world is crashing down right in front of her upon receiving Kirk’s admission of his feelings towards another woman. Betrayal, anger, jealousy and a whole riot of emotions swirl through Claire making her want  to curl up into a ball and vent out all the emotions that seems to be suffocating her. And when Kirk tells her that he wants a shot at making things work in their marriage, though Claire is clearly hesitant to agree to it, she finds herself embarking on unchartered waters trying to find the right path on which they could both heal and learn to find the love that had drawn them together in the first place.

This was an interesting piece of work because it takes the reader through a journey of discovery between two people who earlier had found reasons to tie the holy knot of matrimony, who had embarked on a life together and made a home together to suddenly find out that they have been drifting apart for the last couple of months. The jolt that wakes them up, hurtful as it may be serves to be the point where both Kirk and Claire have to  try to work things out, not only for the sake of their children but for themselves as well.

Though Kirk was the one to stray from his vows, I found myself admiring him because he had the guts to come out with the truth and let his wife know before things had proceeded to a point of no return. The challenges that Kirk and Claire face separately and together as they work things out all seem to be well thought out, with Claire and Kirk both facing some hard truths about themselves before they can finally reach a place where they are able to move forward and not look back. A well rounded tale that is certainly different from your average romance, a tale of family life, friendships that help you through the toughest times and a story of love and second chances that certainly had me racing towards the finish line without giving up – just to see how things turned out in the end.

Recommended for readers like myself who want something a little bit different in their world of romance now and then.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

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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: Houston, We Have a Problem by Erin McCarthy

Format: E-bookhoustonwehaveaproble
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Florida Doctors, Book 2
Publisher: Kensington
Hero: Dr. Houston Hayes
Heroine: Dr. Josie Adkins
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publisher: October 18, 2005
Started On: May 8, 2011
Finished On: May 13, 2011

Though I have had this book in my to-be-read pile for ages, I finally took the plunge after reading the enthusiastic review that my friend Zahu posted on Goodreads. We both (and I guess more than half of the romance reading population) have a thing for hot and tortured heroes who exert rigid control over their emotions and suddenly along comes the bubbly heroine who seems to bring down the walls of reserve that the hero has built so painstakingly over the years within just a couple of minutes. I absolutely love these types of books and though this book didn’t deliver on all of my expectations, nevertheless it turned out to be one hell of an entertaining read.

33 year old Dr. Houston Hayes has a huge problem that won’t go away in the 27 year old surgical resident Josie Adkins who is driving him completely nuts with her klutziness that brings to light just how much he wants Josie flat on her back, with him on top. Houston has never had a problem with the rules he has imposed on himself to never enter into a long term relationship and to never get involved with a co-worker. But the minute Josie Adkins steps into the picture, all Houston’s heart is capable of telling him is that rules are meant to be broken.

Josie is appalled that she has the Dr. Hayes-induced Dropping Medical Equipment Syndrome whenever she is around Houston. Her friend Sara keeps telling her that its the haze of lust that takes a hold of her whenever she is in Houston’s vicinity that plays havoc on her usual capable self.

When Houston proposes to Josie one single night of passion to get rid of the inconvenience of having the hots for each other all the time, Josie is reluctant because she is not the type to get physical in a relationship without her emotions getting involved. But every inch of Houston from his short black hair, to his gorgeous blue eyes, and all down the length of his muscular, toned body that screams power and control has Josie saying yes to abandoning herself to his lethal brand of seduction that has Josie screaming much more than yes long before the night is through.

But what was supposed to be just one night of passion cracks open the walls of reserve that protects Houston’s emotions and though he would rather die than admit to the fact, being over Josie is the farthest thing that Houston feels. Josie though she promises herself that she deserves someone who loves her and wants to commit to her, nevertheless finds herself falling for the complete opposite of what she needs though Josie is still strong enough to say no where it counts. Houston is a man who has a lot of issues with his past, his childhood playing a major role in how his character is portrayed in the story. For Josie and Houston’s problem to be totally over, they both do a lot of intense soul searching and makes some hard choices before achieving their much needed happily ever after.

I absolutely loved what Erin McCarthy delivers in the humor department in the story. From the first line itself, this book was a continuous laugh fest with Josie’s quirky comebacks and her sense of humor which is evident from the way she thinks out aloud about stuff. Houston is a delicious hero, and yes I say delicious in the best possible way. He is tortured hotness and broodiness in one package and his lethal brand of seduction left me breathless at all times. With borderline erotic sexual content, this book is recommended for fans of contemporary romances that delivers on character development, humor, love and rapid heartbeat inducing love scenes guaranteed to fire up your insides.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Substitute Wife by Dallas Schulze

Format: Paperbackthesubstitutewife
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: MIRA
Hero: Luke Quintain
Heroine: Catherine Willow Rain Skywalker Lang
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: April 1, 2003
Started On: May 6, 2011
Finished On: May 7, 2011

I have been wanting to read The Substitute Wife by Dallas Schulze for a long time. And whilst I enjoyed this book immensely, I had to bring down the rating from 5-stars because I felt that the hero did not really grovel enough to win back the affections of the heroine.

Catherine Willow Rain Skywalker Lang (I know, its a mouthful but it suites her well and good) grows up with a hippie for a mother whose wanderlust nature provided Cat with a very unique sort of childhood. Thus Cat had learnt at a very young age to become an “adult” and a responsible child with her unconventional education that nevertheless grows up to be a beautiful woman inside and out. It had been a gangly 13 year old Cat that had met her beautiful 20 year old sort of step-sister Devon whose father Larry had been the only family that Cat had known through her transformation from a teenager into womanhood.

When Cat finds out that Devon is running away with her first love and breaking off her engagement to Luke Quintain with whom Cat had fallen in love at first sight, Cat’s tender hearted nature refuses to let Luke hear about the broken engagement just mere weeks before the wedding via the post. So it is because Cat wants to deliver the news of the broken engagement in person that she finds herself on the doorstep of the ultra rich real estate tycoon for whom her heart clamors for something fierce.

Somehow Luke finds himself at the receiving end of the news of a broken engagement and Cat somehow leaves with a ring on her finger after proposing that she take Devon’s place instead. Luke agrees because he can’t help his reaction to the tall and red-haired beauty with the green eyes who calls to his baser instincts in a way that has never happened before. Though its a marriage of convenience to which Luke agrees to with a tight prenuptial to neatly tie things up, their marriage from the first moment itself becomes something much more than Luke bargained for.

Though Cat enters a marriage that has its divorce date already decided upon, her heart cannot help but yearn for Luke and his love to be hers till death does them apart. Trouble comes calling when Devon returns and Cat finds herself carrying Luke’s baby, something that wasn’t included in Luke’s agreement with his delectable wife whom he can’t seem to get enough of.

Luke who is definitely scarred on the inside from the trauma of witnessing the roller coaster of a marriage between his parents is a man who knows he is not the right material for a happily ever after. And with the earth shattering news about his imminent fatherhood, Luke does the unforgivable and finally manages to drive Cat and her love out of his life, taking him back to the bleak existence his life was before Cat lit it up with her love and her giving nature.

I loved so many things about this book right from the very first page itself. There is so much humor packed into this story that I swear that I couldn’t help but laugh out loud several times. Luke’s grouchy grandfather Nick who forces Luke’s hand in getting married is an interesting character who lends the story a charm of its own kind. Cat is such a wonderful, wonderful heroine that I absolutely fell head over heels in love with. I know, weird right? But you would have to read this one to understand what I am talking about. Cat has so many endearing qualities that you can’t help but be drawn towards her character. She is so comfortable with who she is that she continues to astound Luke, Nick and everyone who doesn’t know her that well and continually surprised me with her quirky comebacks and teasing nature. She is so very vulnerable when it comes to Luke who hurts her in the worst way possible, but still she manages to stand up for herself and work things out. And let me not forget Cat’s best friend Jack whose relationship with Luke’s best friend was an interesting facet of the novel as well.

And alas, I come to the part where my rating for this novel had to be brought down from a solid 5-stars to the 4-star rating it received. Mainly because I don’t think Luke really did enough towards the end to make up for what he did to Cat. I wanted him to grovel a bit more, and with more sincerity than that he showed. And Cat being the wonderful woman she is and because she loves Luke to distraction, she takes him back upon his one attempt at groveling and apologizing to her for what he did. Totally didn’t sit well with me. But, nevertheless Luke still makes for a sexy hero whose reluctant reactions towards Cat was one that I savored to the max.

Recommended for fans of contemporary romances with the marriage of convenience setting.

Favorite Quotes

“So, give it to me straight.” Luke turned to look at her, long fingers cradling the snifter. “I take it Devon’s absence is permanent?”
Cat nodded reluctantly. He didn’t look like a man whose heart was breaking. He looked irritated and maybe a little relieved. Or was that just wishful thinking on her part?
“She’s decided to become a nun? Having a sex change operation? Run off to join the circus?”
“A dairy farm,” Cat said, and Luke’s brows rose.
“She’s joined a diary farm? I didn’t know you could do that.”
“Not joined one so much as …well, actually she’s sort of marrying one.”
“Marrying a diary farm?” One corner of his mouth curved up. “She’s going to need a pretty big church, isn’t she?” (Totally had me cracking up!)

Cat tilted her head back, looking up at him. The rest lamp leeched the color from everything it touched, painting her in shades of dark and light. Dark hair, pale skin, her eyes deep mysterious pools, the almost-bruised darkness of her mouth. She didn’t say anything, didn’t pull back as he lifted his free hand and slid his fingers into the soft knot of her hair, searching out the pins that held it and pulling them loose, letting them scatter on the pavement. Her hair tumbled around her shoulders, and Luke curled his hand into it, letting it slide through his fingers. He felt a nearly painful surge of need. Hunger. Anger that he wanted her so much, that he had so little control where she was concerned.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Avenging Angel by Glenna McReynolds

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Loveswept, #653
Publisher: Loveswept
Hero: Dylan Jones
Heroine: Johanna Lane
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 1, 1993
Started On: May 5, 2011
Finished On: May 5, 2011

Winner of 1993 Rita Award for Short Contemporary, Avenging Angel by Glenna McReynolds aka Tara Janzen tells the story of an undercover law enforcement hero who is hellbent on reaching the woman he loves, to save her from the clutches of a man who wants nothing else except her death certificate in his hands. Though the cover is ridiculous, the story inside is a good one with a brooding hero who has a tender core deep inside and a spunky heroine who gives as good as she gets in the run for their lives that is the basis of this novel.

Dylan Jones is a man who has been working undercover for far too long. His life is and the real man inside of him is buried under a ton of lies and fabricated history that Dylan is almost weary and at the point of giving up. Six months back, Dylan had culminated 4 years of undercover work by slipping into Austin Bridgeman’s underground empire as a bodyguard whereupon he meets a bombshell package of brains, legs, virtue and sophistication that is Johanna Lane. Though it has always been Dylan’s rule never to get involved with anyone related to his assignment, he can’t help but be protective of the woman that he wants with every fiber of his being.

The daughter of the most renowned trial lawyer in the state of Illinois, Johanna follows in her father’s footsteps and is an attorney herself who works for Austin as his most private legal counsel. She had left Chicago and her job 4 months back because of what Austin had become in the past couple of years. Privy to information that no one else knows, this is what lands Johanna in danger and it is an injured Dylan that races through thousands of miles to abduct Johanna in order to save her.

It is an enraged Johanna that finds herself a captive of the sexy avenging angel who outsmarts a pack of men who look like they mean business when they storm her apartment. But trust doesn’t come easily and at first Johanna would love nothing more than to escape the clutches of the man who holds her captive even though it may be for her safety. But when Johanna discovers who Dylan truly is, a man she has a shared past with and a man she had desired in spite of every cell in her brain screaming for her not to, Johanna at long last gives in as she starts to fall for the man that she has dreamed about for far too long.

Avenging Angel is short novel, but still manages to pack into it a pretty decent story though there were a couple of things I would have loved to know more about. At the beginning of the story there is a mention of how Dylan had failed the previous 2 times he had broken cover to come to someone’s rescue. But there is no detail of any of it later in the story which would have served to make Dylan’s character a bit more interesting. Though I thought that Johanna would end up annoying the crap out of me, she later turned out to be a pretty good heroine who adamantly refuses to leave Dylan to the wolves when push comes to shove. Dylan makes for a dreamy hero with his tenderness that comes out to play around Johanna and the scenes of passion between the two are pretty well done. Now I am mighty curious to read the Crazy series by Tara Janzen because I know that she can write a mean romantic suspense if she puts her mind to it. Recommended for fans of short contemporary romantic suspense.

Favorite Quotes

The mercury had pushed ninety-two that day, but he was wearing an overcoat, a lined overcoat stained with dirt … or blood. A torn black T-shirt molded his torso, soft black jeans clung to his hips and legs.
He was bruised on one side of his face and cut on the other. He was muscular and lean, hard, stripped down to the basics of strength, He was feral.

Dark eyes opened to the barest slit, his gaze fixed on her mouth, unwavering. He looked like he wanted to eat her for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then start all over again. She felt the heat of his excitement running through his body. His skin was warm, nearly hot to the touch. His breath was uneven, his body pressed against hers in the most carnal of ways.
Her anger, so righteous only seconds before, was having an unbelievably difficult time not getting scorched to cinders by his slow, intense perusal.

Her need for him, to be a part of him, went beyond her power to reason. There was no reason to want him as badly as she did.
She did want him, though, with all her heart. She wanted to soothe him and cherish him. She wanted to kiss him with all the tenderness he was showering on her. She wanted to give him pleasure in being alive.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Breaking Point by Pamela Clare

Format: E-bookbreakingpoint
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: I-Team, Book 5
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Hero: Zachariah McBride
Heroine: Natalie Benoit
Sensuality: 4
Published on: May 3, 2011
Started On: May 3, 2011
Finished On: May 4, 2011

Oh…my…stars!

In the words of our heroine Natalie Benoit, that about sums up this delectable addition to the already 5-star plus I-Team series by Pamela Clare, in which each individual book in this series has rocked my world in so many ways. The 5th installment in the series has been a much awaited one by the thousands of fans of this series all over the world and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I have been on tenterhooks ever since Ms. Clare announced the release date of Breaking Point on her blog a few months back. The wait though an agonizing one has all been worth it as Ms. Clare once again proves her remarkable talent in delivering what readers like us truly want when we pick up a novel of the RS genre.

Breaking Point with its fabulously drool-inducing cover tells the story of the beautiful I-Team reporter Natalie Benoit and Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Zachariah McBride (Zach) who meet each other in the most trying circumstances. Zach is former Navy SEAL and has more than his fair share of battle scars, a testament to the Medal of Honor that he receives upon honorable discharge from the army. Now a U.S. Marshal who puts his life on the line day in and day out doing what he does best, Zach is betrayed by a fellow agent and wakes up in a hell hole from which he has no means of escaping.

Born and bred in New Orleans, Natalie Benoit moves to Denver after Hurricane Katrina brought with it tragedy into her life from which Natalie still suffers. Working for the Denver Independent on the elite I-Team for the past 3 years, Natalie finds herself signing up for a 3-day convention in Mexico because she needs a change of pace from the usual. However Natalie finds more than she bargained for when she finds herself a captive of the notoriously cruel Los Zetas who have their own nefarious agenda all lined up for her.

It is at the compound to which she is taken to and held captive that she meets Zach who is clinging on to his reserves of strength to stay alive amidst the torture that is dished out daily in order to break him. The surge of protectiveness that courses through Zach when he first sights the beautiful Natalie takes him unawares and Natalie’s tenacious efforts to escape infuses Zach with a slight ray of hope that they just might make it out of Mexico with their lives intact.

Thus begins a desperate race across a harsh and unforgiving desert to make it to the safety of U.S. soil, the desert providing its own sources of danger at each and every turn. As Natalie and Zach spend time depending on each other, the attraction that neither of them can deny heats things up to the most delicious levels, the scenes of passion that unfolds between the two done in classic Pamela Clare style, hot enough to skyrocket one’s inner temperature to eyebrow singeing levels. But back home does not turn out to be the sanctuary it promises as danger of the life threatening variety keeps after Natalie, bringing heroes from the previous I-Team books into the picture making this the most action-packed romance that Ms. Clare has written to-date.

There are so many things that makes this a 5+ star read for me. One of them being the unbeatable style with which Ms. Clare brings to life her characters who have the ability to imbed themselves into the deepest recesses of my memory and heart, rendering each and every one of them unforgettable for years to come. Likewise, Zach McBride is the type of hero who has the ability to fuel any woman’s dreams of the naughty as well as the non-naughty variety as he steps up and does what he is  best at – protect the woman he loves at all costs. His attention to detail in bed and out of it carves him a well-deserved notch in my unforgettable-hero list. Though Zach has his own demons that needs to be laid to rest before he can embrace his happily-ever-after, it is Zach’s take-charge attitude that appealed to me the most.

Natalie is a kick-ass heroine in her own right as she battles her own fears and overcomes them to escape the men who hold her captive. Natalie’s inner vulnerability makes her easy to relate to and the way she has the ability to draw Zach out of his shell and make his playful side come out to play was one of the most endearing qualities about Natalie. She has no qualms about expressing her love for a man who deserves all that and so much more and refuses to back down from the fight for her own happily ever after even if it means that the battle she wages is with the man who has earned her heart, body and soul.

And of course, let me not forget the impact the rest of the I-Team heroes bring to the novel as Marc, Gabe and Darcangelo come together and put their very own lives on the line to protect their own. The interactions between the 3 left me with huge grins on my face each and every time and found myself going “Aww!” at a scene towards the end of the book that shows the depth of the relationship between Julian and Marc. Gabe and Marc both get in on the action rendering me speechless a time or two, especially Gabe who seems to have gone up in my total-hottie-alpha-male list after reading this book, if it is at all possible!

If I were to continue rehashing what made this book work for me, I would never reach the end of this review and would probably end up boring you all to tears. But the flowery gushy tone just comes out to play when I end up loving a book to bits as I did with this one. If you are already a fan of the I-Team series and haven’t read this yet, my question would be, what on Earth are you waiting for? Like me, just put your entire life on hold for a couple of hours and indulge in Zach and Natalie’s story as it will sweep you off your feet right from the very beginning. If you have never heard of Pamela Clare and have no idea what the I-Team series is all about, I say its high time that you educate yourselves on this fantastic series. You can find reviews of all the books in the series here if you are interested and I dare you to pick a book and give yourselves a couple of minutes with the story that unfolds. I assure you, time and money well spent!

Favorite Quotes

He felt empty, broken, defeated.
He wrapped his arms around her, refusing to let go, his head dropping to rest against her chest.
Without a word, she enfolded him in her embrace, holding him to her breast like a mother comforting a child, her fingers curling in her hair, her heartbeat steady in his ear. And he clung to her.

“Shh.” He pressed his finger to her lips. “When I realized I was going to die, the only thing I could think about was you and what an idiot I’d been for not telling you how I felt about you. I think I’ve loved you from the moment you lifted that awful blind off my face. I opened my eyes, and there you were, the bravest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. You set me free, Natalie. In so many ways, you set me free.”

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

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

So, with the publication of this review, I’ve decided to take things a tad further and do my first giveaway for two reasons. One being that my blog just surpassed the 10,000 hits mark and second because I just adore Ms. Clare as an author and what she can do with her stories. So to celebrate in style, I will be giving away a 20$ Amazon gift certificate to one will be picked out from a random draw which will be held 4 days from now, on the 9th of May 2011. To enter you have to do the following:

  1. Like this review post if you are on Facebook and spread the word to your friends who might be interested.
  2. If you are on Twitter, share this and tweet about the giveaway!
  3. And last but not the least, leave a comment with the post stating your email address and if you are already a fan of the I-Team series I would like to know your favorite hero from Marc, Julian, Gabe, Reece and Zach and why. If you haven’t read the I-Team series yet, I would like to know your favorite romantic suspense novel that you have read to-date. And if you have tweeted or shared the review on Facebook, please mention it on your comment as well as your name would be entered 5 times into the draw. Even if you do not share this review on Facebook or Twitter you can still  leave a comment behind and enter the draw. Good luck fellow readers!