Category / Favorable Read

Rating of 3.5 Stars

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Crazed Hearts by Shiloh Walker

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series: Grimm’s Circle, Book 3
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Thomas Renfield
Heroine: Aileas Corbett
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication:  July 13, 2010
Started On: July 13, 2010
Finished On: July 13, 2010

This is the first book that I tried out from the Grimm’s Circle series and at the beginning I was a bit confused as to what or who Ren really was. Then I decided to do some digging and went poking around Shiloh’s website to find blurbs on the two previous books published in the series; Candy Houses and No Prince Charming.  Once I had gone ahead and done that I had the basic idea of what these stories were really about and from then onwards I sank into the world of Ren and let him take me away on his journey towards true love.

Grimms are special kinds of guardian angels placed by God to protect mortals and kick the asses of  demons and the likes of them. Ren is a Grimm and an empath as well; someone who could sense and feel emotions of beings that surround him. Ren has resigned himself to living a lonely life with the animals that surround his home as his only friends at times. But all of this changes in a heartbeat when he encounters the woman who drives right into the heart of his woods.

Aileas is a woman on the run, not knowing exactly what she is running from. Its just the growing feeling of trepidation that she has had ever since her brother died and that dreaded book which has been giving her nightmares fell into her hands. The book which she feels as if it were talking to her, driving her onto do things that she really does not want to do. And to top that off, Aileas feels that someone or something was hunting her down and the feeling that they were closing in on her had propelled her to run for her life.

As soon as Ren lays his eyes on Aileas, the smoldering heat that flashes between the two is hard to ignore. And Ren identifies that the demons who are relentlessly on her pursuit wouldn’t give her or the book up easily and the one thing that his heart urges him to do is to protect the woman who stands in front of him, looking so lost but determined to flee whatever that was after her even though she couldn’t believe herself at times.

With classic Shiloh Walker style, Ren and Aileas wove their magic on me and made me fall a little bit in love with Ren by the time I was through.

Recommended for those who love a good paranormal/fantasy romance with a dose of sensuality with a bit of kick-ass action now and then.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Wed by Deception by Emilie Rose

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle & MS Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: The Payback Affairs, Book 3
Publisher: Silhouette
Hero: Lucas Daniel Stone
Heroine: Nadia Kincaid
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: September 9, 2008
Started On: May 20, 2010
Finished On: May 21, 2010

This is the third book in the payback affairs series by Ms. Rose and features Everett Kincaid’s third child and only daughter Nadia Kincaid and her believed to be dead husband for eleven years Lucas Daniel Stone.

Everett Kincaid is a man who has wronged all three of his children in one way or the other. And Everett has laid out his will in such a way that all three of his children had to fulfill certain “tests” that he had set aside before they all could be secure in the vast inheritance that Everett has left for them.

Nadia’s task was to live in Dallas on a limited budget, without holding a job and with none to look after her. Learning to survive on her own is supposed to be Nadia’s challenge and she is in for the shock of her life when her neighboring tenant returns home and Nadia finds him to be none other than Lucas, the husband she thought had died right along with her son in the accident that had left Nadia scarred for life.

Though nothing can bring back Nadia’s ability to have children, her life had resumed with some sort of normalcy until the shock of what Nadia’s dad had really done behind their backs to keep them apart comes to haunt her.

Lucas doesn’t want to feel small and helpless, the way he had felt eleven years ago when he  thought his wife had wanting nothing to do with him anymore. During his weakest moment he had grabbed what Nadia’s father had offered and built himself an empire that rivals the Kincaid’s. On a personal vendetta of his own to rub Kincaid’s face in his success by literally buying out every piece of business the Kincaid’s own, Lucas never thought what happened eleven years ago was by no means any fault of Nadia, the only woman who had ever made him succumb to love.

Nadia and Lucas both have to learn to trust one another amongst all the lies they have been made to believe for the past decade and give in to the intense passion that has always been within them before they are able to find ever lasting happiness with one another.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Unfaithful Wife by Lynne Graham

Format: E-book
Read with: Microsoft Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Nik Andreakis
Heroine: Leah
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: November 1, 1995
Started On: May 6, 2010
Finished On: May 10, 2010

Lynne’s Graham older romances contributed a lot towards me becoming the avid romance book reader that I am today. Likewise, this book published more than a decade back has the element that is missing from most of the Harlequin novels that are published today, even by my most favorite authors such as Ms. Graham. Thus it was a rare treat to read this romance by Ms. Graham which I didn’t want to put down once I started.

Leah and Nik have been married for five years during which they have lived apart from one another. Leah doesn’t know the reason why Nik acts so coldly towards her once they are married. Nik has his own group of beautiful women with whom he spends his nights with and this propels Leah finally towards forming a relationship of her own, fed up with a life of utter loneliness and unhappiness.

The death of Leah’s father brings about the actual truth as to why Nik has been treating Leah so abhorrently. And it is this pivotal moment that brings these two together, Nik with his tendency to be distrustful of love and companionship that goes along with it and Leah afraid to hope for anything permanent with Nik with whom she fell in love with on the very first sight.

Filled with highly sensual moments which is trademark Graham, this novel stands to be the reason why I always look forward to reading a novel by the author, no matter how disappointing her recent novels have turned out to be.

Purchase Links: Amazon

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Back To You by Sarah Mayberry

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Hot City Nights Anthalogy
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero:  Cal MacKenzie
Heroine: Becky Taylor
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 8, 2008
Started On: March 26, 2010
Finished On: March 27, 2010

This was a title released in a collection of  short novels bundled up as “Hot City Nights” together with two titles from two of my other favorite Harlequin authors Emilie Rose and Sandra Marton. I haven’t read the other two novels in this collection but am thinking I might give it a go since Sandra Marton and Emilie Rose do write wonderful romances.

Becky Taylor and Cal MacKenzie had the hottest and wildest time of their lives for four weeks when they were at the university together at the tender age of 20. Cal had broken things off with Becky quoting that he wasn’t ready to jump into another serious relationship when he had barely managed to step away from the first serious relationship of his life.

Ten years later, Cal and Becky meet again during a reunion. Becky is at first shocked to find Cal there when he is supposed to be in London with his wife. But unknown to Becky, Cal has been back in Sydney for over a year and is divorced. What happens to  be a chance encounter for Becky isn’t necessarily that for Cal. Cal had come to the reunion wanting to see whether Becky would show up and whether she could still make him feel the same way as he did when they both were 20 years old and going hot and heavy.

Ms. Mayberry has done a splendid job I would say in creating a short story such as this one intense enough so that I as the reader didn’t feel like I had been cheated out of something that could have been better. The intense connection between Becky and Cal burns stronger than ever and before they both know it, they are going hot and heavy with each other once more.

Becky thinking that she and Cal would never get their happily ever after decides to cool things off when she finds out that she is pregnant with Cal’s child. And Cal proves to Becky once and for all that he is committed to loving Becky for the rest of their lives if given half the chance.

A sweet and hot read you wouldn’t want to put down.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Kissing Cowboy By J.C. Wilder

Format: E-book
Opens with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Men of S.W.A.T, Book 3
Sensuality: 4
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Hero: Jeff “Cowboy” Diver
Heroine:  Payton “Pip” Whittier
Date of Publication: February 9, 2010
Started On: February 20, 2010
Finished On: February 21, 2010

The third book in the Men of S.W.A.T series, this is the first book that I have ever come across of this author and I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised considering how hard it is to find good new authors whose books that you can enjoy without giving it any thought.

The author promises this series to be a romance series with humor, suspense and heroes to melt our hearts and I would have to say she has delivered 100% on all counts with this novella. Though my only peeve was that this story wasn’t a novel and a novella, which means issues are resolved quickly, though the author did quite a good job of covering all bases so to speak.

Pip has always been in love with Cowboy ever since she started hanging around with his family. Pip comes from a family of beautiful and artistically made up women, and Pip’s mother’s only disappointment has been the fact that Pip remained her tomboyish self no matter how she tried to tutor and reform Pip otherwise. Pip only felt loved and at home when she was over at the Diver’s place and she and Cowboy had been inseparable as any two beings could be.

But then Pip developed feelings for Cowboy when she was fifteen and he eighteen. Though Cowboy never saw Pip as anything more than a sister, Pip launches a plan to make him want her, and in the end though those few moments spent in his arms has marked Pip for her life, so has the humiliation Cowboy served her right after those heated moments. Getting together with her much beautiful and older sister was the last straw and Pip leaves town and returns 9 years later, wiser and more in control of her emotions, or so she thought.

With a bunch of crazy girlfriends who are there for Pip all throughout, with interesting side characters which I am salivating over to read their stories, this book packs a hard punch with the intense passion between Cowboy and Pip, and of course with moments of absolute hilarity the reader can’t help but laugh aloud at.

Highly recommended for those who love a quick passionate story with two beautiful characters.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Texas! Sage by Sandra Brown

Format: E-booktexassage
Read with: Microsoft Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Texas!, Book 3
Publisher: Bantam
Hero: Harlan Boyd
Heroine: Sage Tyler
Date of Publication: February 1, 1992
Started On: December 27, 2009
Finished On: December 29, 2009

The 3rd and final book in the Tyler family’s series, this is the story of the youngest and the only daughter Sage Tyler. Sage who just finished her Masters Degree from the University of Texas and is engaged to be married to Travis from a moneyed background, who is on his way to become a dentist, suddenly finds herself without a fiancé when Travis breaks up with her on Christmas Eve.

Harlan Boyd who has been sent by her family because Chase’s wife Marcie is in labor witnesses the breakup and Sage finds herself meeting with the new hired help of their company Tyler Drilling. No man has infuriated her or been able to invoke feelings as savage in her as Harlan does.

Harlan who is a drifter who never stays in one place long enough to settle down finds that he is unable to stay away from Sage no matter what the consequences of a relationship with her might be.

Although this story is not as wonderful as Chase’s story, it was pretty good, though I felt the story line could have been better with a more believable explanation for Harlan’s behavior at the end.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | AbeBooks | Half.com

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: A Mutual Favor by Ann Jacobs

Format: E-bookmutual
Read with: Adobe Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Dr. Kurt Silverman
Heroine: Shelly Ware
Date of Publication: July 30, 2002
Started On: December 20, 2009
Finished On: December 21, 2009

I went on a hunting binge after reading the last book, to find more books of my favorite theme. I came across this book on Amazon’s recommendation list and since it has got great reviews, thought I would give this book a try.

Dr. Kurt an orthopedic surgeon with a bad divorce under him can’t for the life of him see himself ever married again. And the continuous demand for his time which his first wife had always claimed and he could never give has made him antsy at the thought of being that vulnerable with someone ever again. The only woman he feels comfortable around with enough to drop down his guard and be himself with is his best friend and physiotherapist Shelly Ware. Good at giving mind blowing massages after Kurt spends grueling hours at the surgery, Shelly has always made him feel good about himself and made his problems seem less intense.

Now with the custody of Kurt’s child Jason at a balance, with his ex-wife Adrianna making life hellish for him by revoking visitation rights claiming Kurt doesn’t provide a suitable enough environment for a young boy of 12 years, Kurt is at his wits ends. However, Shelly in a moment of weakness after finding out her sister has ovarain cancer and fearing that at 32 years she is fast losing her chance of ever having children of her own, asks Kurt to donate the sperm for the  baby that she so craves.

Angry at first, Kurt begins to realize that they both could do each other a favor and asks Shelly to marry him. Kurt is forever afraid of a repeat episode of his first marriage taking place but soon finds out that Shelly as his best friend and as the woman who understands him more than anyone else makes a totally different experience of being married to.

Add in a rebellious teenage son to the mix with a complicated pregnancy for Shelly, this story proved to be a good read.

Purchase Links:  Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Jasmine Jade

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Smash Cut by Sandra Brown

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Series: Standalone
Hero: Derek Mitchell
Heroine: Julie Rutledge
Date of Publication: August 11, 2009
Started On: November 29, 2009
Finished On: December 1, 2009

Sandra Brown has always been a favorite author of mine. With her first book ‘Relentless Desire’ which was published in 1983, she started off her career as a romance book author as most of my favorite authors. Later with the book ‘Slow Heat in Heaven’, she started on the genre of romantic suspense, some of which have been pretty great stories. Smash Cut, her latest such thriller is no exception to this rule. With two great characters and a complex plot with enough twists to keep us going, Smash Cut delivers on all fronts.

Derek Mitchell is a criminal defense lawyer with a reputation well-earned for preventing society’s scum from ever having to see the walls of a prison. Julie Rutledge, the mistress of millionaire Paul Wheeler, is the owner of an art gallery who witnesses the murder of her lover right in front of her.

Entering the story that unfolds of course is the slightly off-balance family that every rich guy leaves behind. Paul’s brother Doug and his wife Sherry with their son Creighton Wheeler who is very rich in his own right without having shed a drop of sweat to show for it and spoiled rotten to the core has a passion for movies unlike anyone has ever heard of.

From the start, Julie accuses Creighton of plotting and executing the well-laid out plan of murdering Paul, as Creighton was the sole beneficiary of Paul’s will, though the motive seems to be a weak one in the face of all the millions that Creighton has already inherited from another set of his grandparents.

Derek is hired by Creighton’s father, in case the need for a defense lawyer arises, though Creighton has a rock solid alibi for the day of the murder. Julie, wanting to prevent Creighton from walking free of this heinous act, tries to prevent Derek from being Creighton’s lawyer, which somehow in the end backfires on her.

Creighton’s evil streak is slowly revealed, while Julie and Derek join forces to out run the brilliance of a plan well laid out by a master of evil planning, to free Julie from the knot that slowly seems to tighten around Julie, pointing all fingers at her for the murder of Paul.

Ultimately in the end, Creighton is caught in the act of ‘tying up one of the loose ends’, and with a huge surprise in the end, which I am not going to spoil for everyone here, ties things up.

Although this book is of the genre ‘Romantic Suspense’, there is actually very little romance involved, but rather a great story of how pure evil can thrive in the minds of people society never thought capable of.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Reckless by Tori Carrington

Format: E-bookReckless
Read with: Stanza
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin
Series: Indecent Proposals, Book 1
Hero: Kyle Trapper
Heroine: Heidi Joblowski
Date of Publication: November 1, 2008
Started On: October 28, 2009
Finished On: October 28, 2009

Kyle and Jesse, Heidi’s boyfriend since high school are best friends. Kyle has had the hots for Heidi like in forever although Heidi has no clue. Heidi has a strict plan to which she tries to adhere every moment of her life. Wanting to prove to the world that she is different from the family that she comes from, although her family ain’t half bad, Heidi never thought for a moment that even the best laid plans could meet glitches and fall apart within mere seconds.

Heidi realizes her attraction to Kyle quite unexpectedly, and these two burn the sheets one night with moments of sizzling passion. Guilt stricken that she had in a moment of weakness betrayed her long term boyfriend Jesse, Heidi tries hard to keep anything else from happening between her and Kyle, and plans to spill what happened to Jesse as soon as she could get her affairs sorted out.

Of course the cheating part was easier to digest when readers come to know that Jesse had been cheating on Heidi throughout their relationship and Kyle had always covered for Jesse at these moments. In the end, Heidi is forced to acknowledge that somewhere along the way, she had forgotten how to have fun, how to love and how to enjoy life and works towards resolving issues both with her family and Jesse, who finally gets together with his old-time flame.

Its a happy ending for Kyle and Heidi in the end. I have to say Tori Carrington doesn’t disappoint with this novel since it was a pretty interesting read with a good story line. And the forbidden moments between Kyle and Heidi heats things up just the right amount for the reader. All in all a good book for a light read.               

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

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