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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Cold As Ice by Anne Stuart

Format: E-bookcold as ice
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Ice, Book 2
Publisher: MIRA
Hero: Peter Jensen (Peter Madsen)
Heroine: Genevieve Spenser
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: November 1, 2006
Started On: November 8, 2010
Finished On: November 16, 2010

I started out on Cold As Ice right after I was done with Black Ice. I knew that this story would offer a hero a bit mellower and a bit more humane than Bastien Toussaint (Sigh!) and I was right in believing so. Peter Jensen though described as someone who has ice running through his veins is far more in touch with his emotions and it is far easier to deduce his feelings towards the heroine than it was with Bastien that makes Peter more appealing as a hero to readers in general. But for me, Bastien still tops the list and still manages to invoke a shiver or two (of the good kind) whenever I think of him. ^.^

The Hero: Peter Jensen or Peter Madsen is the best at what he does. English to the core, Peter is the son of Richard Madsen, a London policemen who was a sullen bully of a man who on many occasions shows his authority over his wife Kimberly Wemberley Madsen and son with his fists. Peter can never understand how someone as prissy to the core as his mother had been attracted to a bully like his father. Kimberly had tried hard to mold Peter into someone worthy enough for the high society from which she comes from. But all her efforts had been wasted on a boy who had been ridiculed and bullied upon by his peers until he had learned to fight dirty to come out at the top. When Daniel Conley, the son of a powerful Parliament member who had a legion of followers around him to make him feel like God had taken an averse pleasure in hurting Peter real good, what he had done  to Daniel in return had been what had recruited him as one of the most lethal agents of The Committee. Lethal with a gun and almost effective with a dozen other weapons, fluent in five languages and someone who could be straight or gay based on the mission, Peter is a valuable asset to The Committee. Being in love only once with a hideous scar on his body to show for it and a failed marriage under his belt, Peter doesn’t do emotions and has never second guessed himself on a mission ever. That is until Ms. Genevieve Spenser comes in on his latest mission and rocks his world in more ways than one.

The Heroine: Genevieve Spenser is junior partner at Roper, Hyde, Camui and Fredericks and is not a woman without her own nightmares to haunt her at night. With blond hair, brown eyes and 15 pounds overweight and thirty years old, Genevieve had grown up with parents who had maintained the illusion of being rich and well bred. Fresh out of law school, Genevieve had held the belief that she could do some good and make a difference and had worked as a public prosecutor in the poor are of Clinton County, New York and she had been so good at domestic abuse cases that Genevieve had amassed a large number of angry and hostile husbands who would like nothing better than to wring her neck for locking them away. And when one of those angry husbands had come looking for her whilst she was working late and trussed her up real good, Genevieve had packed her bags and moved to New York with her pills to keep the nightmares at bay.

Storyline: People Magazine’s Sexiest Man of the Year Harry Van Dorn is a billionaire who has fooled many a people to think him just your average philanthropic rich man. But in reality, Harry is one sick bastard who thinks him above the law, has the kinkiest and filthiest cravings ever and has set his sights on bringing the world to financial ruin by his brilliant Rule of Seven plan. Peter Jensen has been working undercover, as his personal assistant for the past 3 months to try and figure out what the Rule of Seven consists of. With no other option at hand as the date of execution of his plan draws nearer, The Committee makes the decision to eliminate Harry and finish him up once and for all. When Genevieve who had been about to embark on a six week sabbatical to the rain forests of Costa Rica needs to get some papers signed by Harry, one of the most prestigious clients of her law firm, Genevieve becomes collateral damage on a mission whose timely execution is crucial to the whole world’s stability. For someone like Peter who has never killed innocents, Genevieve poses a problem and a far greater threat on his ice clad control and emotions as for the first time in his 38 years of life, Peter goes against orders and tries to save the woman who is slowly driving him to insanity as she tries to thwart his protection at every turn.

The First Encounter: Peter and Genevieve’s first encounter takes place aboard Seven Sins, Harry’s luxury cruise liner. Though Genevieve doesn’t understand why, Peter the impeccable PA of Harry rubs her emotions raw right from the very start.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in different locations all over the world.

Narrated in: This story is told from both Peter and Genevieve’s point of view. Added into the mix are the thoughts and actions of Harry as well as Madame Isobel Lambert the current head of The Committee.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: For someone like Genevieve who cringes at the mere thought of going near a man since the violence that erupted in her life at the hands of an angry murderous husband of a client, when Peter rouses in her feelings she has never encountered before, Genevieve is more or less appalled at the thought of her emotions being fickle enough to go haywire around a terrorist such as Peter Jensen. But needless to say, Genevieve is no match for a man like Peter who is ruthless enough to use sex as a weapon. But what Peter doesn’t count on is the huge hole that Genevieve carves out on his ice cold armor around his heart which tumbles him up real good. The constant bickering between mouthy Genevieve and Peter serves as foreplay on many a occasion and it is the constant hum of awareness and sexual zing between the two that makes this book so good a read.

The turning point: From the moment Genevieve steps on board the Seven Sins, Peter knows deep in his gut that nothing would ever be the same again. For him, keeping Genevieve alive in spite of the mission is a turning point itself in a man whose very pride lies in his ability to keep a clear head no matter the circumstance. For Genevieve, from the very first kiss to which she succumbs to though she tells herself over and over again that she doesn’t feel a thing for Peter is what lays the foundation of their relationship. When Peter finally gives all of himself to Genevieve, against his better judgment, there is no turning back for two people who have finally found their better half, under the most unlikely circumstances.

Ending: A happily ever after for Peter and Genevieve.

Likes:

  1. Thank God for the fact that the ending in this one wasn’t so abrupt.
  2. One of the things I love about novels by Anne Stuart is the fact that the hero and heroine both go through a period of separation from one another towards the ending which makes the story a better one for me all around. I want the hero and heroine to have to work for their happily ever after as no one passes those around on silver platter in real life.
  3. Revisiting Bastien and Chloe. That just made my day!

Dislikes: None, though an epilogue in one of her books would nice. Just saying! ^.^

Recommended for:

  1. Fans of Anne Stuart.
  2. Fans of romantic suspense who love their heroes just a tad darker than your average alpha hero.

Favorite Quotes

“How could you do that to me?” she whispered. “You took everything. How could you?”
He really had no choice. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight against his body. He’d broken her completely. It had been the smartest thing he could do, what he was best at. He should feel satisfaction. Mission accomplished. And instead, he felt as if he’d lost everything as well.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Black Ice by Anne Stuart

Format: E-bookBlack Ice
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Ice, Book 1
Publisher: MIRA
Hero: Bastien Toussaint
Heroine: Chloe Underwood
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: May 1, 2005
Started On: November 8, 2010
Finished On: November 8, 2o10

Anyone who reads romances as much as I do would have come across their fair share of heroes who are rakes, bad boys and those wickedly irredeemable men that draws a collective sigh from us female readers and makes us want to be the one who would tame the big bad boy he is grown into. Anne Stuart takes her heroes just a tad further and create heroes who have something extra that gives them an edge compared to heroes created by other authors. Her heroes are a bit darker, a bit more ruthless and they stay true to their form without coming off as a wimp at the first sight of the heroine in the story. Sometimes I tend to feel cheated out of the hype that the author tends to create with alpha heroes, painting a picture of them leading lives that have no place for a woman beside them, and suddenly at the first scent of their life partner they become the complete antithesis of their true form overnight. Thus reading about a hero such as Bastien completely made my day and has certainly whetted my appetite for more of the heroes of the “gamma” type that Ms. Stuart creates so well.

The Hero: Bastien Toussaint, 32 years of age is a man who walks a fine line between life and death in his work for an organization named The Committee, who believes that the end justifies the means no matter who or what is sacrificed in the end. Bastien has been truly honed and trained to be a ruthless and efficient killing machine since he was recruited for the organization when he was in his early twenties. Bastien had been born to a mother who had never wanted him in the first place, who had been forced to carry him to term because one of her more possessive lovers had thought the child to be his until he had known otherwise and walked out, which by the time it had been too late to get rid of Bastien. Life had hardly being idyllic for Bastien and he had followed around after his globe-trotting mother until at the age of 15 he had left home with a woman twice his age and never looked back. His current mission has been 2 years in the making and Bastien is deep undercover with a group of ruthless killers who are into arms dealing which The Committee wants an eye kept on.

The Heroine: Chloe Underwood, 23 years old is the youngest of the Underwood siblings and had grown up in the North Carolina mountainous area and has a love for languages and cooking. Fluent in French, Italian, Spanish, German with a healthy smattering of Russian and German and few bits of Arabic and Japanese, Chloe has withstood the constant pressure from her family to bow down to family tradition and enroll in medical school something which Chloe who is squeamish at the sight of blood has vowed to resist with every fiber of her being. Chloe had arrived in Paris two years back on a student visa finds work translating children’s books, a job which her vivacious friend Sylvia had found for her. Chloe yearns for a  bit of excitement in her otherwise completely dull life and gets more than she has bargained for when she meets Bastien Toussaint.

Storyline: When Sylvia pleads Chloe to take a translation job for a bunch of boring businessmen to earn a couple of hundred of Euros, Chloe though at first reluctant is no match to her friend’s persuasive nature. What Chloe thinks would be a relaxed laid back weekend at a countryside chateau turns into the most frightening experience of Chloe’s life and delivers her life with the “excitement” she has been craving for when she finds herself on the run for her life with the enigmatic Bastien acting as her savior, a man she finds more dangerous to her heart and desires than the ruthless killers who are determined that she would not live to see another day.

The First Encounter: It is when Chloe arrives at the chateau and introductions are made to the group of businessmen to whom she would be acting as a translator that Chloe lays eyes on the enigmatic and dangerous Bastien Toussaint. The attraction she feels is immediate and takes her unawares with the first glance from the fathomless dark eyes of Bastien.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in France and later in North Carolina, USA.

Narrated in: This story is told in both the hero and heroine’s point of view.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: From the first minute that Chloe lays her eyes on the vital and sinfully handsome Bastien, a relentless attraction takes a hold of her regardless of the fact that Bastien seems to be interested in Chloe as much as he would be for a block of wood. At first, for Bastien who has always had a ruthless command on his emotions and never lets himself feel anything except be on the lookout for his own hide, Chloe is just part of his job, a sore thumb that sticks out from the ruthless negotiations taking place in the chateau. Even then, it is Bastien’s fascination with Chloe that makes him put his cover and life on the line to save her, just in the nick of time. Even on the run, Bastien keeps his emotions and need to touch and feel Chloe reined in, because he knows that if he gives in, he would never be able to stop with just one taste.

The turning point: Chloe challenges everything that Bastien has believed of himself until now when he becomes her savior from the throes of a ruthless killer hellbent on enjoying taunting Chloe with her imminent death. On the run, it is just Chloe and Bastien as the hunger between them surges out of control making this book one of the best of its kind.

Ending: Till towards the very last pages of the story, Bastien manages to keep the readers guessing on his exact feelings towards Chloe though it is evident from his actions that she is the most important person to her in the whole world. Though the ending was a bit abrupt for my taste, it still delivered the happily ever after which Bastien and Chloe deserve at the very end.

Likes:

  1. Bastien Toussaint. I just totally loved his character which didn’t just change overnight into this wimpy puddle of everlasting love at the mere sight of Chloe. Bastien is ruthless to the point where certain readers might find him offensive, but I found his ruthlessness further enhanced his attraction. The way he saves Chloe even though he is unsure of what it is exactly that Chloe manages to invoke in his cynical and ice cold heart just made my heart go Aww!! every single time! And the scenes where he sleeps with Chloe in his arms… Sigh!!
  2. Some reviewers have found Chloe to be a more doormat sort of heroine but I found her to be just the right match for a man like Bastien. Chloe is no doormat mind you, but a woman who is helplessly ensnared by the heady attraction she has for a man ruthless enough to kill anyone who comes after her regardless of the fact he or she is friend or foe. How Chloe manages to chip away at the ice cold armor around his heart is what made Chloe an endearing heroine for me.

Dislikes: I was really disappointed with the fact that the ending seemed kind of abrupt. I wish that Ms. Stuart had provided us with a good epilogue that would have made saying goodbye to Bastien just a trifle bit easier for me.

Favorite Quotes

It was the kiss of a man in love, and for a moment she simply floated, lost in the perfect beauty of his mouth on hers.

Sigh! I just can’t help listen to Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden and sigh and moon over Bastien.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Raising Kane by Lorelei James

Format: E-bookraisingkane
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Rough Riders, Book 9
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Kane “Buck” McKay
Heroine: Ginger Paulson
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: June 29, 2010
Started On: November 6, 2010
Finished On: November 7, 2010

Raising Kane is my second book by Lorelei James and as it turns out, the second book that I tried out from her famous Rough Riders series. Since I am not much of a fan of menages and such and tend to stick to plain old m/f romances, I haven’t read most of the books in the Rough Riders series. The one book that I read though, All Jacked Up definitely whetted my appetite for more of Ms. James writing and I am pretty much looking forward to her November release Cowgirls Don’t Cry which is to feature Brandt and Jessie McKay’s story since the foundation of the story was laid out in this book which definitely has piqued my interest. So onto my review of Raising Kane I go.

The Hero: Kane McKay, identical twins to Kade McKay has had his fair share of running on the wild side. But gone are the days that he let his wildness define him and Kane is a man who is ready for the domestic scene regardless of the fact whether he is ready to admit the fact to himself or not. Kane has a chip the size of Mount Everest on his shoulder because he barely managed to graduate from high school and has always managed to measure himself on the short side when it comes to comparing himself with others intellectually. Kane’s description is a tantalizing one, depicted as having a body to die for, an angular jawline with a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee and kissable lips with dark blue eyes. Oh my! Nobody had thought that Kane would stick to the Big Buddies/Little Buddies program he joins to mentor little kids growing up without the influence of a male presence in their lives. And it is here that Kane gets paired up with Hayden whose mother makes Kane forget every sensible thought ever to reside in his brain.

The Heroine: Ginger Paulson is a single mom, a lawyer and caretaker of her wheelchair bound father Dane and Ginger wouldn’t have it any other way. 37 years old, Ginger has a streak of independence within her a mile wide which prevents her from asking for help even when she is desperately in need of it. Having been burned badly in the torrid affair that had taken place between her and Hayden’s father, Ginger keeps to herself and hasn’t dated since she moved from Southern California to take over her dad’s law practice in Wyoming. Ginger is not one of those dainty women who most of the time take the leading role in romance novels but rather she is six foot of curves in all the right places with red hair and hazel eyes that just drives Kane nuts – all in a good way. *wink*

Storyline: When Ginger falls down the stairs of her office building and ends up hurting herself badly, it is Kane who rides to her rescue upon Hayden’s request. Though Ginger is the star of every wicked and wanton fantasy that Kane has had for the past two years, she is strictly off limits because he is Hayden’s mentor in the Big Buddies/Little Buddies program. But that doesn’t stop him from wanting to kiss and claim every luscious inch of stubborn independent woman that Ginger is. Ginger is no more immune to Kane and his wonderfully wicked sensuality than she is to her body’s wanton desires to claim Kane as her own. The vulnerable position Ginger ends up in begins the ride of her life with the wonderful Kane by her side which opens up both their eyes to the possibility that what they have found in each other could be so much more, if given half the chance.

The First Encounter: Though there is not much detail into how Ginger and Kane had first met, the description of a memory that Kane still has of the time they had met makes  me draw the conclusion that Kane and Ginger had first got acquainted when Ginger had taken her son Hayden for his first meeting with his mentor from the Big Buddies/Little Buddies program which had turned out to be Kane McKay.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in Wyoming.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: With the first kiss that takes place between Kane and Ginger (which is long before this novel), the attraction between them is white hot and always at a simmer, ready to explode given the chance. Though its hard for Kane and Ginger to get together with Ginger living with her son and father with a full-time job as well and Kane busy with his ranch work, both of them have to get really creative to appease their undeniable hunger for one another which blazes out of control from the first heady experience with one another. Ms. James surely lights up all the fires with her characters and leaves no avenue unexplored with at times raunchy and wall-banging encounters and at other times scenes filled with tenderness and much love that just makes this a perfect read.

The turning point: Falling down the stairs proves to be the best thing that happens to Ginger in a long, long time as it opens up the avenue for her to see firsthand just how wonderful a person Kane is, not just when he lights up her bed with fireworks, but in the tender way that he takes care of her needs in bed and out of it. The love that slowly blossoms in Ginger’s heart whilst Kane’s heart is already at the point of no return is something beautiful in this otherwise hard and fast story.

Ending: A happily ever after with Kane getting everything he wanted and so much more from the woman he loves more than life itself.

Likes:

  1. The wonderful cover. I have got to say that the one thing that always draws me to Ms. James’s books are the wonderful covers that always beg to be stroked, petted and opened up to unearth the wonderful delights that the story has in store for the reader.
  2. ♥Kane McKay♥!! I was halfway in love with him before the first couple of pages and the way he totally cares for Ginger when she is in need of it just clinched the deal for me. His wonderful wickedness and sensuality and bad boy tricks in the bedroom totally goes with the tender and giving side of him out of it which just makes him the yummiest kind of hero ever!
  3. Ginger for understanding the complexity of the man behind Kane’s wild reputation and loving him enough to accept him as who he is, giving him all the love she has and more makes Ginger the type of heroine who I can connect with. And I always love that in a story!
  4. And oh those raunchy hot lovin’! Makes a girl sweat and want some of that lovin’ for her own! *wicked grin*

Dislikes: None

Recommended for: Fans of the Rough Riders series, fans of cowboy romances that feature raw and hot loving in the mix.

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

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry

Format: E-bookthebestlaidplans
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Super Romance
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Ethan Stone
Heroine: Alexander Knight
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: November 9, 2010
Started On: November 2, 2010
Finished On: November 3, 2010

Yes, Sarah Mayberry has done it yet once again, stringing all my emotions taut enough to form a permanent lump in my throat which refused to melt away until I read the beautifully done epilogue which was just sheer perfection. Reminds me why even though this title’s release date was said to be the 11th of this month, when I found out that the Kindle version was already available, I basically put everything else on hold and grabbed myself a copy – knowing that I would be safe in Ms. Mayberry’s hands. Sigh! And I can’t wait for her next book though I am still reeling from the remnants of emotions left over from this one.

The Hero: Ethan Stone or Pretty Boy as his brother Derek calls him is a man so scarred by the immense betrayal that his ex-wife Cassie had left him reeling in after she had walked out on 12 years of being together, 8 of which they had been married that Ethan has lost his faith in the concept of marriage and happily ever afters with anyone else. At the age of 42, Ethan is one of the youngest partners of Wallingsworth & Kent and a family lawyer that makes him a witness to the ugly side of people who have sworn to love till death do them apart, which makes him further wary of trying to start anything serious with a woman. Ethan’s younger brother Derek and his wife Kay together with their children Tim and Jamie is the closest to the family life that Ethan so badly craves even now during unguarded moments. Described as being tall, dark and handsome with a fallen angel’s face and dark blue eyes, Ethan sets many a female heart aflutter wherever he goes. His one vice is his love for good food and wine which is a constant source of amusement with his family, Ethan is a man who cooks to relieve stress – and oh boy, can he cook! Now why can’t we ever land someone like him! Sigh!!

The Heroine: Alexander Knight (Alex) or slow poke as Ethan calls her is also one of the youngest partners at Wallingsworth & Kent and one of the best corporate lawyers around. Being calm, cool and efficient with whatever Alex chooses to do has been her motto in all the hardships that her life had dealt her. Growing up never knowing her father, Alex had just been 12 years old when her mother Rachel Knight had had an accident fracturing her skull which had left her needing constant care and attention which had turned the tables around on the lone parent and child. But a determined Alex had seen it through and cared for her mother until her imminent death and then put herself through law school to land a partnership at one of the most prestigious law firms in Melbourne a mere seven years after graduation. With jaw length dark hair, wide mouth and eyes too large to be conventional Alex too has had her fair share of betrayal from Jacob, the man she had lived 7 years of her life with, hoping that his initial dislike at the matter of having kids together would fade away with time until the topic had come to be a matter of discontentment and anger between them until Jacob had left her life 18 months ago.

Storyline: It is when Alex runs into Jacob with a baby in his arms, the Jacob who had even refused to discuss the possibility of having a child with her that stuns Alex into thinking about the best years of her life wasted with a man who hadn’t really loved her enough to want to share everything with her. And when it hits too close to home that the family and children that she has so badly craved for all her life might not happen with her eggs dying up on her in a couple of years, Alex is driven to do what she always does – take charge of her life and turn it around and work for what she wants. When in a moment of weakness Alex confesses all of this to her partner and racquetball buddy and the star of her crush Ethan, everything starts to change. Knowing that meeting someone, dating them and finally being able to broach the subject of children and the possibility of having kids together would take more time from her than she has, Alex does the only thing left to do – contact a sperm bank and decides to become a single mother, a fact Ethan learns about which propels him to offer himself up as the sperm donor.

The First Encounter: There is no part in the story that mentions how and what happened when Ethan and Alex had first met, but rather describes the moment that Alex had first seen Ethan walking towards her with the senior partners at her law firm after being lured into working for Wallingsworth & Kent. Something deep inside her had fluttered at the mere sight of him and in her heart had called out “Hello heartbreaker”.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in Melbourne, Australia.

Awareness between hero and heroine: Though both Ethan and Alex acknowledge the fact that they both find the other attractive, neither Ethan nor Alex feels inclined enough to mess up the friendship between them by making things complicated by wanting more from the other. Ethan had instinctively known that Alex deserves much more than he is willing to offer and works hard to keep things on a platonic level between the two. And though Alex knows that Ethan is the most handsome and compelling man she has ever met, Alex is a woman who is far too practical to throw herself at a man who she feels she is better off being friends with.

The turning point: When Alex breaks down in front of Ethan and Ethan is witness to the deep yearning in her voice as Alex talks about the babies and the family that she so wants, something inside Ethan refuses to let him forget but rather taps into his long locked away desires for a family of his own. But marriage and relationships are not for Ethan and he proposes the next best thing, he would provide the sperm for his and Alex’s baby and take an active role in his child’s life and plans it in such a way that only two lawyers can. But the best laid plans as always have a way of backfiring on them in the best possible way in the end.

Ending: It wasn’t by any means a smooth road to happily ever after for these two. Though Alex acknowledges the fact that she has fallen completely in love with Ethan and Ethan confesses to falling for Alex as well, there are still obstacles between them, namely the deep emotional scars within Ethan that has to heal before he is able to make a full commitment to the one woman who means everything to him. I just loved the ending of this story. *sniffles*

Likes: One of the first things that drew this book to me (apart from it being a story by one of my favorite Harlequin authors of course) was the beautiful cover of this novel. The cover just touches something deep inside of me, which depicts a scene from the novel before things get complicated between Alex and Ethan. I just love the way Ethan is bending towards Alex as if to whisper sweet nothings in her ear (a gal can hope always *wink*). The next thing that drew me in was the depth of character development in this story. Ms. Mayberry always does a splendid job with her characters that draws you in right from the very beginning of the story. And she has once again proved to me why I just adore her books. I also loved the fact that the obstacles that both Ethan and Alex faced in attaining their happily ever after wasn’t solved with a quick rip of the band-aid off the wound that has been festering inside Ethan for years. Just loved Ethan from his head to foot and ahem all that in between. I just wanted to hug him and face his ex-wife with a sword of my own whilst I was at it! Yes, fiercely protective I am of my Ethan!

Dislikes: I was a bit disappointed with the lack of steam between Alex and Ethan in the 1st half of the book though it totally goes with their characters and the story that unfolded. But I just had a craving to see Ethan lose all control for Alex and just give me something to sigh and moon over in between!

Recommended for: Those who love Harlequin romances, Ms. Mayberry would never steer you wrong though if you are looking for hot and frequent lovin’ you aren’t going to find it in this one. Just enough emotion to punch you in the gut!

Favorite Quotes

Ethan found him in the kitchen, pouring himself a more conservative Scotch. He met his brother’s eyes and took a deep breath.
“I appreciate the concern but I’m fine,” he said.
Something warm and wet fell onto his hand. He looked down at it. It took him a moment to understand that he was crying. He put down his glass.
“Jesus,” Derek said, and then his brother’s arms were closing around him and he was being held tightly and couldn’t keep the rest of the tears from falling.
He fought them every step of the way until Derek gave him a shake.
“Cry you big dickhead. It won’t kill you.”

When is the next title from Ms. Mayberry going to be out? I so want it, like now?

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

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Now You See Her by Linda Howard

Format: E-booknowyouseeher
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Pocket Books
Hero: Richard Worth
Heroine: Paris Samille Sweeney (Sweeney)
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: July 29, 2003
Started On: October 30, 2010
Finished On: October 31, 2010

I needed a book to maintain the high I was riding after finishing up the last book I reviewed which happens to be Naked Edge, the 4th book in the delectable I-Team series. And I am so very glad that I picked this one up knowing that Linda Howard never fails to deliver. This is one book that I seem to have missed when I first started on my Linda Howard fest when I discovered her as an author after reading the emotionally gut wrenching story Sarah’s Child by the author. As always, the hero is to die for, his character described in such a manner that it is impossible not to give a part of yourself to him before the story is through. The heroine is not the type to stand back and just let the hero tread all over her, but rather she gives as good as she gets which made this book the winner it is for me.

The Hero: Richard Worth is a self-made millionaire who is described as a Wall Street whiz which made him the rich man he is. Growing up dirt poor in a farm in West Virginia, Richard’s father had died when he had been 3 years old. Now 39 years old, Richard had grown up with his grandfather and mother, both of whom had worked every day of their lives to provide for themselves. From a very young age Richard’s grandfather had instilled in him the need to work and earn your keep which makes Richard the man he is. Joining the army because he had been unable to afford a college education had made him discover that he had a knack for military life. And when Richard had found that he had knack for the stock market which was more lucrative and since money was all he had wanted to make Richard had never looked back. Its been 15 years since Richard has left the army and life had seemed to be going well when he had married Candra his wife of 10 years. Discovering his wife’s infidelity had broken the luster from his marriage and the final straw had come 9 years into their marriage, an act of ultimate betrayal by Candra which pushes Richard to end their farce of a marriage and apply for a divorce. Richard is a man who draws women to him effortlessly but remains faithful to his wife because Richard has always been the sort of man one can truly depend and rely upon.

The Heroine: Paris Samille Sweeney (Sweeney) or sweetie as Richard calls her is a woman who is so immersed in her work as an artist that she rarely takes notice of the opposite sex. Born in Italy, Sweeney comes from parents who found no time for their children but rather pursued their careers, her mother as an artist and her father as a filmmaker. Sweeney shies away from the opposite sex because her experiences with her promiscuous mother whilst growing up had made her wary of turning out to be exactly like her. Now 31 years old, Sweeney is described to have a trim figure, almost medium in height with blue eyes and curly brown hair which she keeps below shoulder length in an effort to control its unruliness. Sweeney had been living in the small town of Clayton in New York when that fateful day in August she had seen the ghost of 10 year old Samuel Beresford who had died of leukemia a month back. Afraid that people would assume that she has lost it, Sweeney wants to move somewhere that is warmer when Candra Worth, owner of the gallery where Sweeney sells her work convinces her to move to New York. The story continues a year after that fateful day when everything changes for Sweeney, someone who equals sameness and normalness to security.

Storyline: Sweeney’s entire world changes the day she starts seeing ghosts. The experiences leave her with a bone deep cold that refuses to leave her. Her work as an artist also changes from the trademark delicacy of her landscapes and still studies to paintings more boisterous and colorful in nature which leaves Sweeney with a feeling of hopelessness as she tries to prevent the changes from overtaking her life completely. Never one to take bullshit from anyone, the final straw comes when Sweeney is invited to Candra’s gallery to do a portrait for an important client of hers, a client who is a strong political figure that grates on Sweeney’s nerves right from the first moment. And when Sweeney’s body decides to take notice of Richard Worth all of a sudden, Sweeney is decidedly at a loss on how to control the sudden and swift change within her towards a man who was in a bitter contest of finalizing his divorce from Sweeney’s friend and mentor for the past year. Sweeney’s actual capabilities come to light when she sleep paints the murder of a person whom she is overtly fond of, the truth which she finds out only a little bit too late. When Sweeney finds herself face to face with another sleep painting attempt of hers, Sweeney is determined that she would finish the painting before its too late to warn whoever it is of her impending death.

First Encounter: There are references to Sweeney and Richard meeting one another on several occasions, most of which Sweeney doesn’t even remember because she has a tendency to desexualize herself and immerse herself in the wonderful world of vibrant colors that her life is. But the day that Sweeney’s body decides to take notice of and wants to claim Richard Worth as her own is the moment that Richard has been waiting for since he has always found Sweeney attractive.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in New York.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: With the first heady kiss between the two there is no turning back though Sweeney refuses to sleep with Richard till his divorce is final which propels him to use his ruthless determination in obtaining his freedom from the woman who he has come to hate, an action which sets in motion a set of events that leads to Candra’s murder. The bone deep cold that takes hold of Sweeney whenever she sleep paints only seems to go away in Richard’s fiery embrace which definitely makes this one heady read!

The turning point: From the moment Sweeney’s hormones become aware of Richard as a man there is no turning back for either of them. Richard is captivated by Sweeney who is the total opposite of Candra and for the first time Richard finds a woman with whom he can be himself with which is an attraction in itself. Sweeney though she tries her damnedest to return her life back to the dull and lonely version it was before finds herself no match to Richard’s quiet determination to win Sweeney over. With each kiss and embrace between the two the inevitable conclusion of which is a combustive joining of their hearts and souls is exactly what Linda Howard delivers – in spades.

Ending: Though the killer is not really a mystery as the story proceeds, nevertheless its an interesting one which brings to light the tangled web Candra decides to weave in order to dig herself out of the hole she has landed herself in. The ending is a fitting one which brings out the killer once and for all, nervous at the thought of Sweeney completing her portrait to point the homicide detectives in the right direction.

Likes: As always Linda Howard creates the best alpha heroes in her stories. Richard has a quiet unassuming strength about him that  totally captivated me and made me wish all his attention were focused on me. Silly I know, but I tend to get silly and all swoony around heroes like Richard. I also loved Sweeney and how she overcomes the fear of the change that takes place in her, how she finally accepts the fact that she has changed for better or worse and tries to make the best use of her talents to help others. Her less than perfect character perfectly complemented Richard in every way which made this book a winner for me.

Dislikes: I found myself a little bit put off by the fact that the Epilogue was just a couple of lines which sheds some light on why Sweeney is the way she is. I wanted a longer epilogue detailing the changes that had come about in both Richard and Sweeney’s lives a year on and glimpses of the perfectness of the world they had created together.*pouts a little*

Recommended for: Those who like romantic suspense with a tangy bit of paranormal in it.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Naked Edge by Pamela Clare

Format: E-booknakededge
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: I-Team, Book 4
Publisher: Berkley
Hero: Gabriel Rossiter (Gabe)
Heroine: Katherine James (Kat)
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: March 2, 2010
Started On: October 28, 2010
Finished On: October 30, 2010

The moment that I have been dreading since I started on the explosive I-Team series has arrived. Yes, I have reached the end of the backlist of the series and now have to wait patiently for the release of the next title in the series, Breaking Point which is to be released on July 2011. There are so many good books that are coming out next year that I am looking forward to, but this would top everything else on my must-have list when it comes out. Naked Edge introduces us to the people of Navajo who also call themselves Diné, meaning “the people”, of the Southwestern United States who are the second largest Native American tribe of North America to which our heroine Katherine James belongs to.

The Hero: Gabriel Rossiter or Gabe as he is known as is a man who thrives on adrenaline rush. Well versed in rock climbing, skiing and what not, Gabe has always been a man of the outdoors ever since he can remember. Described as being rugged and tall with thick dark hair and deep blue eyes with a body to die for, toned by the years of extreme rock climbing sessions Gabe forces his body to endure, Gabe is a man who is running away from his past even though he doesn’t want to admit it. Gabe had pursued a degree in Biology thinking that he wanted to become a wildlife vet, but in the end when the time had come for him to choose a career, all Gabe had wanted to do was be outdoors. So Gabe had gone through the police academy and trained as a paramedic before landing his well earned position as one of the best mountain rangers in the area. A man who doesn’t do long-term relationships nor thinks of himself capable of being any woman’s knight in shining armor, Gabe is a man who likes his sex straight up, with no complications and with women who knows the score.

The Heroine: Katherine James (Kat) or Kimimila meaning Butterfly as her Grandpa Red Crow calls her had grown up in a two room hogan with 7 half brothers and 3 half sisters who jokingly called her as half-ajo because Kat had been the result of her mother’s indiscretion with a white man who had left her once he had known that she was pregnant with his child. Kat’s mother had always deeply resented Kat’s presence and had never felt happier unless she wasn’t around. Described as having dark brown hair, hazel green eyes and caramel skin, Kat is a woman who has sworn that she wouldn’t put herself in a position vulnerable enough to end up like her mother. Shying away from promiscuous behavior, Kat is a woman who is saving herself for her other half and believes in the happily ever afters that her friends on the I-Team had found with their respective partners. Armed with her degree in journalism from the University of New Mexico, Kat had returned home to work at the Navajo Times. But as always, her mother had refused to see the good that Kat was doing and finally her mother’s resentment with her siblings’ indifference had led her to take the best and toughest decision of her life 3 years back when she had decided to leave her home and pursue her dreams elsewhere. Now working as the I-Team’s environmental reporter, Kat has grown to love her fellow team members and the life she has made for herself. Though she may live and work in the city, at heart she is a Navajo whose heart and spirit belongs to the land on which she was born and raised.

Storyline: Kat is participating in an inipi, a sacred Indian ceremony that was being held by her Grandpa Red Crow as a healing ritual for one of their sisters who was suffering from cancer when the police come out of nowhere and breaks up the ceremony, brutal and deadly in the force that they use. And when a few days later, Grandpa Red Crow ends up dead, his death looking suspiciously like a homicide, Kat knows deep in her heart that there is much more at stake than just stopping a religious ceremony held by the Navajo when countless other such ceremonies had been held with the knowledge of the Mountain Parks Rangers. As Kat continues to dig deeper amidst threats on her life which escalates as she draws nearer to the truth, Kat finds that at the heart of all the havoc wreaked on her family lies greed which even drives the best of people to acts of mayhem &  murder.

First Encounter: Though Kat believes she has found her place within the I-Team doing work that means something and loving the life that she has made for herself, at times she feels the hectic life of the city closing in on her which drives her to go on hiking sessions to the surrounding mountains. It is when a rock slide hits and Kat falls down breaking a leg in the process that  Gabe comes to her rescue, Gabe who is surprised and a little taken aback by the admiration that courses through him at Kat’s bravery.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in the state of Colorado.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: Kat and Gabe cannot be more different from one another even if they tried. Kat, an innocent in every way that matters who believes in waiting for the right man who would love her forever and who wants a family and babies of her own is the opposite of Gabe who lives in the moment, who likes his sex without any complications with women who know what they are getting into. When Gabe finds himself asking Kat out on their second encounter, no one is more surprised than Gabe himself because he hasn’t felt the inclination to woo a woman in 3 long years ever since his fiance Jill Chandler had died leaving a man broken by betrayal in her wake. Even when Gabe knows in his heart that Kat is not the type of woman he can love and then leave behind, his body has other ideas with its fascination for Kat. With each tentative kiss between them that burns hotter and fiercer, Kat is as much a slave to her body’s needs, a first for her in her 26 years of life.

The turning point: With Gabe being the Ranger on call on the night that the praying ceremony was so brutally brought to a halt by the police, Gabe is also a witness to the extreme and unnecessary force used by the authorities in question. When Gabe’s helpless fascination with Kat makes him a witness to Grandpa Red Crow’s dead body which from the first glance itself Gabe deduces to be a homicide, needless to say Gabe is as much drawn to the web of danger that surrounds Kat in her quest for the truth and justice for her people. And when Gabe takes up the task of being a full time bodyguard for Kat, a task which his body relishes in at the mere thought of being in constant proximity to the lure that Kat’s body is for Gabe proves to be the ultimate turning point in their relationship. With Gabe constantly trying to push Kat away, danger and threats on both their lives which they barely escape from forces both Kat and Gabe to search deeper into their feelings and face the ultimate truth that they are definitely two halves that make a complete one.

Ending: The events that take place prior to the ending is one of the hardest parts to get through in the story – not because it was boring or anything but because of the ultimate sacrifice that Gabe makes to spare the life of the woman he loves proving that he is a knight in shining armor – for the right woman. The villain at the end was a total surprise for me, and yes I love being surprised and going into a little bit of shock when I read a novel of the RS genre. And of course, the epilogue as always left me sighing away into the night, satisfied in the knowledge that Gabe and Kat had truly found their happily every after together.

Likes: There are several points that made this story a winner for me. I liked the fact that I got to learn about a tribe of people that otherwise I would have never even heard of if it weren’t for this wonderful story. I was fascinated with their customs, beliefs and superstitious nature which serves them well in their lives and Ms. Clare’s efforts to balance out Kat’s character was well received on my end. As always I loved reading about the hero’s reluctant fascination when it comes to the heroine, something that Ms. Clare delivers in spades in this story. Gabe who is reluctant to put his heart and emotions on the line once again nevertheless finds himself doing just that when it comes to sweet and beautiful Kat who works her underlying charm like a soothing balm to heal Gabe’s wounded warrior heart. As always beautifully done which made the fact that I wanted to savor this last novel a bit longer fly out the window every time I picked up my Kindle to read. And oh yes, the elevator smexing, definitely one of the highlights! *wink*

Dislikes: None.

Recommended for: Those who love reading romances and novels of the romantic suspense genre. You are definitely in for a treat with the I-Team series, the best Romantic Suspense series that I have had the fortune of reading to date.

So off I go to find a book that can lift my spirits from the slums it has decided to visit after the very much dreaded conclusion of a most wonderful series – for now.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Unlawful Contact by Pamela Clare

Format: E-bookunlawfulcontact
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: I-Team, Book 3
Publisher: Berkley
Hero: Marc Hunter
Heroine: Sophie Alton
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: April 1, 2008
Started On: October 27, 2010
Finished On: October 28, 2010

I don’t know how she does it but Ms. Clare rocks my world every time with her delectable characters and engrossing storyline. I’ve never experienced a dull moment nor encountered a scene which I had wished would have gone differently since I started on the I-Team series. Its a testament to Ms. Clare’s creativity and talent that each of these stories have wormed their way into my heart, never to be forgotten, to be revisited sometime in the near future. With only one more book from the I-Team series left for me to read, it’s going to be an unbearable wait till July next year when Breaking Point featuring the mouthwatering Jed Hill on its cover comes out.

The Hero: Marc Hunter or Hunt as he is called by Sophie is a convicted killer serving out his life sentence without eligibility for parole in the Colorado State Penitentiary. Broad shouldered with thick brown hair and deep green eyes, Marc comes from a broken home with a mother who had been a drug addict which had led him to growing up within one foster home or the other. The social service workers had come to take him and his younger half sister Megan away when Marc had just been 10 years old. And to this day, the image of little Megan crying and reluctant to leave her home drives home the guilt that he should have been a better protector for Megan. Marc had managed to clean up his act enough to get a place in the army where he had spent six years of his life becoming a decorated Special Operations sniper and served 18 months in Afghanistan before coming back to Colorado. Seeing that Megan had turned into a drug addict just like their mother cuts Marc up deeper than anything else and he tries to do the right thing by helping her overcome her addiction. With a job at the DEA doing what he can to rid the streets of the drugs that had ruined his family, the life he had created for himself comes crashing down on the afternoon of August 12, 2001. When the walls of the prison closes around him, life becomes undoubtedly that much harder for Marc as the guards hate his guts because he had killed a federal officer whilst the inmates are out for his blood especially those he had helped put behind bars during his time at the DEA. The only thing that keeps him going through the six years in prison is reliving the sweet memory of Sophie or his fairy sprite, the girl who had offered him her virginity on the night he was to leave for the army giving him the most precious and happiest hours of his life.

The Heroine: Sophie Alton had just been 16 years old with a massive crush on Hunt when all her dreams had come true on the night June 9, 1996. Sophie and her brother David had had to move down to Grand Junction, Colorado to live with their maternal grandmother when Sophie’s loving parents had been killed by a drunk driver whilst crossing a road in Denver. With strawberry blond hair, creamy skin and deep blue eyes, Sophie has big dreams of making it as a journalist when Hunt gives her the most unforgettable night of her life beneath the open sky. Though Sophie had dated sparsely throughout the years, every other man pales in comparison to Hunt. 12 years on, Sophie does the prison beat for the Denver Independent’s elite I-team. With her brother David studying to be a horse vet, Sophie saves every penny she can so that she can help David along to achieve his dreams.

Storyline: Sophie had been covering Megan Rawlings, an inmates journey through pregnancy and motherhood for the past couple of months ever since she had covered a piece on the stillbirth of an inmate’s baby which had in turn spurred her on to look more closely into the plight of female prison inmates. Megan had spent 18 hours in labor pains to deliver beautiful baby girl Emily only to give her up to the Social Services. On the day that Megan had earned a 2 hour visit with Emily which Sophie was covering, Megan disappears with Emily in tow leaving a large amount of drugs in her room, a testament to the fact that Megan had once again succumbed back to her addiction which Sophie had been so happy to see that Megan had been overcoming slowly. Since Sophie had grown pretty close to Megan during the months she had spent with her, when Sophie receives an invitation from Megan’s brother in jail, Sophie is more than eager to meet up with him to find out whether he has any information that could lead her to Megan. When Marc walks into the interview room Sophie has no idea of who he is though the very sight of his beautiful Sophie all grown up hits Marc nearly stunning him momentarily. Before Sophie knows it, she is held at gunpoint by Megan’s brother as he flees the four walls of the prison that had been his home for the past 6 years. It is only later on that Megan realizes that Marc Hunter is none other than her Hunt and that Marc had broken out of prison because he feared for Megan and little Emily’s life. It is then Sophie learns of the horrors that Megan had undergone at the Denver Juvenile Detention Centre at the hands of the guards who are sworn to protect the lives of those under them violating the lives of so many women. As Sophie and Marc race against time to find Megan and Emily before the determined and corrupt government officials get their hands on Megan and silence her forever, so does the white hot attraction and feelings between Marc and Sophie escalate which left me breathless -almost all the time! Sigh!

First Encounter: Sophie had been a sophomore when her friend Candy had convinced her into going to the graduation party where she sees Hunt, the hottest guy in senior class and the school bad boy who fuels all of Sophie’s dreams. Marc who has always admired Sophie’s beauty and intelligence from afar becomes her ultimate rescuer and the man to whom Sophie offers her virginity giving them both a night neither of them can forget.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and starts from the year 1996 and continues 12 years later.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: The memory of their encounter is a one often revisited by both Marc and Sophie, more so by Marc who dreams about Sophie continuously, the memories being the only thing that keeps him sane throughout his imprisonment. Marc knows that as a convicted killer he has nothing to offer for a woman like Sophie who has her whole life ahead of her. But that doesn’t stop him from wanting her for himself, wanting just one more taste, to touch her just once more, the needs that Sophie arouses in him so feral that it is all he can do to keep his hands to himself. Sophie, though she knows in her heart that Marc will only bring her heartache and nothing else cannot explain why she is so reluctant to help the authorities find him. Memories of scorching kisses and a night of passion fuels the dreams and fantasies of an all grown up Sophie, especially when all Sophie wants to do is just kiss every perfect inch of the man in question. The constant hum of awareness between Sophie and Marc is one the best things about this story.

The turning point: Sophie’s investigations into finding out whether Marc’s insinuations are true opens up a whole lot of troubles which lands her in jail with charges of intent to sell and distribute controlled substances. Out on bail, Marc is the only one who understands the emotions that well up within Sophie and the only one who can keep her safe from those intent on silencing her forever. This proves to be the event that turns things around when Marc keeps Sophie holed up with him in his hidey-hole which bursts forth the torrent of feelings and passion that has been simmering between the two since the night Marc takes Sophie hostage.

Ending: With surprising twists at the end of the story, this story ended in the phenomenal I-Team series style with an epilogue that just had me beaming smiles all around. The tangled web of family loyalties and misuse of authority by those in power kept me at the very edge of my seat towards the end, thinking that it was indeed too late for Marc and Sophie. Lovely ending as always.

Likes: There is nothing like a hot hero to keep the pages turning and Marc is just the epitome of perfect hero material. With his scars and sexy tattoos and his oh so perfect body its a wonder I made it through the story without continuously drooling from the sides of my mouth. Yes, he is that hot. The thing that always astonishes me with every story I read from Ms. Clare is the fact that her heroines are equally appealing. Most of the time heroines tend to get on my nerves one way or the other but I guess Ms. Clare knows just the right ingredients to make her heroines as appealing as the heroes. I loved the combustive passion between Marc and Sophie which were of the eyebrow singeing type. Ms. Clare delivers on all fronts especially with a much needed against the wall scene and an against the car scene which just made my day! And as always loved revisiting the characters from the previous stories which always makes the next book a plus point in my opinion.

Dislikes: None at all.

Recommended for: All romance novel lovers and those who love a good romantic suspense.

So onto book 4 I go!

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Hard Evidence by Pamela Clare

Format: E-bookhardevidence
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: I-Team, Book 2
Publisher: Berkley
Hero: Julian Darcangelo
Heroine: Tessa Marie Novak
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: October 3, 2006
Started On: October 26, 2010
Finished On: October 27, 2010

Another sleepless night, and yep, not even one iota of regret. The I-Series is by far the best Romantic Suspense series that I have had the pleasure of reading and believe me, I have read tons of romantic suspense to-date though I have managed to review only a handful because I started reviewing books only around a year back. Having read Extreme Exposure I didn’t waste any time on starting with the second book in the I-Team series, all the characters of Ms. Clare’s dream team certainly endearing enough that they require a revisit every now and then. So onto my review of Hard Evidence and the dark, edgy and sinfully sexy Julian Darcangelo.

The Hero: From the moment I first encountered Julian Darcangelo’s name itself I envisioned a brooding, scarred and dark hero who could fuel any woman’s wildest fantasies. And Julian’s character represents that and much more. Six feet tall with long hair that he ties up in a ponytail and a rough stubble on his jaw from time to time *swoons*, Julian or Dark Angel as he is known in certain circles is working deep undercover to catch the worst type of scum on Earth. Julian’s childhood is a nightmare to read about. Julian had grown up thinking that its the norm to wake up in the morning to find half naked whores passed out next to his father on the couch. His mother who had been Irish, had divorced his father when Julian had just been two years old. Julian’s good for nothing father had fled across the border with little Julian in tow and had become the worst sort of pimp. Julian’s first love had been a Mexican prostitute his father had paid to screw him when he had just been fifteen years old. All illusions of love and romance had fled once he had walked into find her in bed with his father. Having had no love, nor tenderness in his life, Julian takes to the streets of Mexico to land in jail for 30 years for manslaughter for accidentally killing a man during a fistfight when he had been 17 years old. It had been Ed Dyson from the FBI who had saved him by making him an offer of a lifetime – put his fluent Spanish and Mexican street smarts to use for them or rot in prison. Julian had taken the offer and never looked back. Well-versed in Aikido and armed with his gun which is as much part of his attire as the shirt on his back, Julian is a force to be reckoned with. With the FBI, Julian had gone deep undercover to search out the worst type of trash there is – those responsible for human trafficking, child pornography and use of underage children in prostitution. Nothing about the dark side of human nature when it comes to sex shocks Julian anymore. And though he sometimes dreams and yearns for a normal life with a wife, kids and the whole white picket fence, Julian knows that he is too world weary and cynical to offer a woman what she deserves. Julian has made it his lifelong mission to hunt down and bring the leader of the gang to justice – a man who eluded him in a raid 3 years ago, the reason for which Julian had quit the FBI and started working solo. Constantly blaming himself for each life that his enemy takes down, Julian had been working for the past 4 months serving as the FBI liaison to Denver Police Department’s vice unit when all hell literally breaks loose and brings him in direct contact with Tessa, the woman who changes everything.

The Heroine: Tessa Marie Novak, a coffee addict with long curly blond hair (which earns her the nickname Goldilocks from Julian) and big blue eyes, Tessa is the cop reporter for Denver Independent’s elite I-Team. Tessa had grown up in Rosebud Texas with her mother who had born her when she had just been 14 years old and her drunken lout of a grandfather. Having never known her father, Tessa grows up amidst gossip and insinuations that her mother is actually her sister as well. Right after high school graduation, Tessa leaves her old life behind and totally makes a new life and name for herself. Ashamed of her roots, Tessa never talks about her past and hasn’t spoken to her mother in 10 years. Though Tessa yearns for the happily ever after that Kara had found with Senator Reece (in Book 1, Extreme Exposure), Tessa knows that she is not one to trust a man easily enough to find the love and companionship that she so sorely misses in her life. Having had only one brief affair during her senior year at college which had been 7 years ago, Tessa decides to concentrate all her energies on finding a good story as everything seems to have hit a stalemate for the past couple of  months.

Storyline: It is Tessa’s craving for a cup of coffee that lands her in the midst of a shooting spree that kills a young teenage girl who comes in sobbing and screaming for help from the bad guys who were trying to kill her. Momentarily taken aback, Tessa is a helpless witness to a brutal slaying which changes her perspective on murder and her role as a reporter in investigative journalism. Vowing that the girl who had never had a chance wouldn’t be just a mere statistic, Tessa starts her own investigation into gang-related crimes which puts her in contact with the delectable Julian who sets all her senses afire. Tessa with her reports on the incident stirs the interest of a sadistic crime lord who takes perversive pleasure in hurting women and Julian can’t help his protective instincts that comes forth when it comes to Tessa who makes him defy everything he has believed of himself till now. As the danger escalates around them, so does the fiery passion that burns out of control whenever Julian and Tessa are in each others vicinity. Feelings that each had never thought they would feel come into play and make a situation fraught with danger and red hot passion that much more complicated – a complexity that I as a reader reveled in all throughout!

First Encounter: Tessa first sights Julian after the shocking murder that she witnesses. Tessa mistakenly thinks Julian to be the killer and later finds out she couldn’t be further from the truth. Their first encounter takes place within a cleaning closet at the hospital in which the other witness to the murder had been admitted. Still not knowing who Julian actually is, Tessa’s instincts to flee kick in which doesn’t do her much good when face to face with Julian’s rock hard masculinity pressed to her body from head to foot.

Time period: This story is set in the state of Colorado as well and has a contemporary setting to it.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: Julian at first thinks Tessa to be just another one of those reporters who is after a juicy piece of news that would make her career which makes him at times insulting which raises Tessa’s ire to no end. However Julian’s self-formed opinion doesn’t change his helpless fascination with Tessa. A kiss which Julian intends to silence Tessa backfires on him when he feels the tentative brush of Tessa’s tongue on his which breaks his ironclad control around women. Though both Julian and Tessa are as wary of one another as only two people with broken childhoods can be, the strong connection between them is just too enticing to ignore and even when they are apart from one another, the continuous foray of images of their encounters leave both of them wanting more, much much more!

The turning point: Though Julian knows that he is not the white picket fence kind of guy, Tessa proves to be far much more alluring than he can resist. Each time they nearly make it to the point of no return only to be brought back to reality by something or the other hardens Julian’s resolve to keep his hands to himself, that is until the next time he sees Tessa. When Tessa’s investigative reports nearly earn her an express ticket to the grave, Julian takes her into his lair whereby the constant proximity between them finally proves to be their undoing.

Ending: Before the story is through, Tessa is drawn into a web of deceit by people who are too close to comfort to Julian which in return forces Julian to accept the depth of his feelings for the woman who had torn apart the walls of steel around his heart. The bad guys get what they rightfully deserve, the whole operation of which is brought down during the next couple of days made me go “Yay!!” towards the end. And Julian and Tessa gets their much deserved happily ever after – white picket fences and all during the beautiful epilogue at the very end.

Likes: Dark Angel or Julian is of course the most favorite aspect of the novel from a reader who continually drools over heroes such as him in books. With emotional scars that runs deep within him, Julian is totally the type to bring a girl to her knees. I just want to run my hands all over him! *Winks*
I loved Tessa as the woman who shines light into Julian’s otherwise dark and murky world. Tessa whose world comes crashing down with boob grabbing stalkers after her, changes into the type of courageous yet vulnerable heroine who any reader can relate to. I loved the relationship dynamics in the story and absolutely approve of the fact that Ms. Clare doesn’t let the suspense nor the romance take the lead in the story, but rather keep the two going at the same pace which makes this book a winner on all fronts! And yes, I heart the cover of this one as well! Reminds me of the bathroom scene in the book! *Wicked grin*

Dislikes: Absolutely none!

Recommended for: Fans of romantic suspense and all romance lovers in general.

Onto book 3, and hello another sleepless night!

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare

Format: E-bookextremeexposure
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: I-Team, Book 1
Publisher: Berkley
Hero: Reece Sheridan
Heroine: Kara McMillan
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: August 2, 2005
Started On: October 25, 2010
Finished On: October 26, 2010

It’s been sometime since I have been so captivated by a novel that I even resented the need to catch some shut eye if I were to keep the migraines that have been rushing in to make my day at bay since the start of this week. Having read only two historical romances by Ms. Clare prior to this, I didn’t know what to expect from a contemporary romance of hers though I knew that with the amazing reviews her books have received, it would be of the unputdownable kind – and I am so hooked to this series right now that I foresee myself going at the rest of the published novels in the series with a gusto that I knew that I had in me when I first started reading the Night Huntress series a couple of months back. This book had everything and I mean absolutely everything that I crave for when I pick up a romance novel. Loveable characters, enough steam to make me cross-eyed through the hot interludes and a good suspense plot that kept the pages turning even after 1 am on a work night. So onto the review of this riveting book which I hope I can do justice trying to convey what the book actually meant to me.

The Hero: State Senator Reece Sheridan, who was elected to the seat two years back is as sinfully good-looking as they come. Having been a high school social studies teacher and a youth soccer coach prior to running for his seat, Reece had chosen his political career in order to show his students that a person can jump into the corrupt and greedy world of politics and still remain true to his integrity and work towards the betterment of the society without losing who he is. But his true passion always lies within teaching and he hopes to return to doing what he loves when the public no longer wants his services at the Senate. Reece is a staunch environmentalist and an alternative energy bill which he had presented to the Senate had been passed recently. The eldest of four kids, Reece had grown up with his father whilst his mother had whisked away the younger siblings, one brother and two sisters after his parents had split up when Reece had been 9 years old. Currently single, Reece had had a hot and heavy affair with lobbyist Alexis Ryan when he had first been elected until he had wizened up to her tricks and is later framed for her murder.

The Heroine: Kara McMillan is a single mother who works as an investigative reporter at the Denver Independent. Kara’s father had walked out on them when she had just been a baby, a father whom she had never heard from or even met afterwards. With a free spirited mother who adores her daughter and grandson, Kara doesn’t do relationships or men since Galen Prentice had walked out on her when he had found out she was pregnant with his child. With Connor now four years old, Kara was feeling the need for male companionship and craving the high that only a giving male body can show her though Kara knows she is not the type to just jump into bed with anybody. Kara has made a reputation for being ruthless when she goes after the truth, exposing corrupt government officials misusing the taxpayers dollars for their own benefits. With Tom Trent, her cranky and ruthless editor giving her a hard time because she refuses to forget that Connor is an integral part of her life, Kara continually juggles her career and her family life always feeling that she falls short when it comes to giving Connor what he needs.

Storyline: Kara receives a tip from a whistleblower who wished to remain anonymous that the company that he was working for was committing a lot of illegal activities when it comes to getting rid of its toxic waste products. Armed with material from her source which shows neglect on many levels from government officials who are liable to investigate and take action against the many severe offenses committed against the environment by the company in question, Kara ruffles the feathers of men who refuse to part with the millions of dollars of profit they rake in every year. Kara’s relationship with Senator Reece  takes off right alongside of this investigation regardless of how much Kara tries to deny the need that she feels for Reece’s magical touch. The investigation takes a nasty turn when Kara’s life is threatened and she is nearly killed in her home, driving Reece to protect what he considers as his and in the process finding out just how deep within the government was the stronghold of corruption.

First Encounter: Kara and Reece meet each other for the first time at a bar to which Kara is taken by her friend Holly to find someone for Kara who would break the dry spell of five long years. In a drunken stupor, the conversation that takes place between Kara and Reece is something to be savored though the simmering attraction that flares between the two is hard to ignore even then.

Time period: This story takes place in the state of Colorado and has a contemporary setting.

Awareness between the two characters: Senator Reece is the stuff dreams are made of. A man who is as comfortable in the kitchen as in his office, Reece awakens something that had long since slumbered inside of Kara. An inherent sensuality that had laid dormant for the past 5 years suddenly takes hold of Kara and she can barely keep her hands off of Reece much less not think about him and his wicked hands 24/7. Reece is as much taken with Kara and what follows are all combustive and explosive encounters between the two which left me totally breathless at all times. Sigh!!

The turning point: Kara and Reece’s relationship grows right alongside with the danger that grows out of control as the investigation Kara starts continues to mount evidence that could bring down the company in question to its knees. Kara who is not used to being protected and cosseted finds it a strange yet endearing trait when Reece shows her with just more than his words and his touch how much Kara means to him. Though Kara tries to drive Reece away from time to time, mostly they are halfhearted attempts. Their explosive attraction coupled together with Reece’s generous and giving nature slowly crumbles the walls around Kara’s heart without her knowing and when danger and scandal threatens to tear them apart from one another for good both Kara and Reece face the fact that they love each other and would give up everything just to be able to hold each other for one last time.

Ending: I don’t think I could have been more satisfied with the ending even if I had tried. All the bad guys except for one or two get what they deserve, Kara and Reece get their happily ever after and the epilogue shows the happy couple’s life a couple of months later. As I always say in my reviews, a good epilogue goes a long way in making for a great story.

Likes: Mmmm… where shall I start? Basically I loved everything about this book from its wonderfully heady cover to office desk smexing to its wonderful ending. I absolutely loved Kara, Reece and Connor and the character development that goes on in the story. Reece is one of those yummy alpha heroes that you can’t help but sigh and moon over and over. Kara is a heroine who is beautiful on the inside and the outside for her relentless desire for justice and the reserves of courage and her deep abiding love for Connor and of course Reece. Now who wouldn’t love a man like Reece? I absolutely savored the mystery that unfolded which kept me right at the edge of my seat so to say. Superb storytelling as always by Ms. Clare.

Dislikes: Absolutely none!

Recommended for: All fans of romantic suspense and romance book lovers in general.

Off to start on Book 2!

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: All or Nothing by Dee Tenorio

Format: E-bookallornothing
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: The Lonnigans, Book 2
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Lucas Lonnigan
Heroine: Belinda Lynn Riggs
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: May 29, 2010
Started On: October 23, 2010
Finished On: October 24, 2010

When The Lonnigans series first caught my roving eye, it was this book that I knew would deliver everything that I crave for as a romance reader. Lucas Lonnigan definitely took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions that refused to let go long after I finished his story. Even when I was reading All of You (the 1st book in this series) before this, it was the glimpses of Lucas that held my attention and deep down inside I just knew that his smoldering intensity would demand nothing less than the ultimate surrender of all my emotions – and he certainly did that and more.

Older than Kyle by just ten minutes, Lucas is perceived as the reserved and quiet one compared to his happy-go-lucky twin. Having made a career for himself analyzing numbers, no one would have believed that beneath the brooding facade that he presents to the world lies a heart that had jumped right out on its own and gone ahead and fallen for his neighbor and childhood friend Belinda Lynn Riggs when he had just been six years old.

Belinda is one of the most complex heroines I have come across in the hundreds of romances that I have managed to read till now. She is prickly as a hedgehog, has deep rooted issues about commitment, trust and love as a result of a turbulent childhood spent with parents who had had a violent sort of love for one another that had taken its toll on the family of seven, more so on Belinda who is the eldest and who took care of the younger ones. When the Briggs move in next door to the Lonnigan’s suburban home, in Lucas Belinda finds someone who understands her and someone who really sees who she is beneath the persona she presents to the rest of the world.

Their friendship certainly takes on a new meaning when at the age of 18, on prom night, an innocent touch erupts into a passion that refuses to be denied, a passion that ties Lucas and Belinda forever struggling to come to terms with a love so fierce that it refuses to be tamped down and ignored, and accept the fact that they are made for one another. However, Belinda’s past always keeps on haunting any attempts on Lucas’s part to show her how good that they can be together until finally Belinda drives Lucas away with her stubbornness that prevents her from letting go of the past.

This story is so very good that I didn’t want to put it down regardless of the fact that I had to wake up early morning for work today. At work, I was antsy the whole day, missing Lucas and his smoldering sensuality that kept the pages turning until my eyes couldn’t focus any longer from the need to slumber. There were times that I really wanted to hate Belinda for what she puts Lucas through, but she made up for all of it so beautifully in the end. If I hadn’t already been half in love with Lucas before, the way he calls Belinda Belle would have sealed the deal for me.

I absolutely loved  the epilogue which was the one thing that was missing from book 1 in this series. However Ms. Tenorio has redeemed herself in my eyes by providing a most fitting and beautiful epilogue which couldn’t have made me anymore happier! A great two book series, each one of which can be read as a standalone title without much hassle is highly recommended for those who love their romances with a touch of humor and a high dose of sensuality that goes a long way in making the story a memorable one.

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

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