Category / Good Read

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Island Flame by Karen Robards

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Pirate, Book 1
Publisher: Dell
Hero: Jonathan Hale
Heroine: Lady Catherine Aldley
First Published on: September 8, 1998
Started On: August 29, 2009
Finished On: August 30, 2009

As usual, I seem to be deviating a LOT from my ‘currently reading pile’ and the ‘to-be-read pile’ which seems to be mounting. This was a book that caught my eye whilst searching for a book on FictionDB. There is a section on the website that displays a book by a featured author. Since I have read books by Karen Robards, my favorite book of hers being Wild Orchids, which I recommend for everyone who loves a good bout of romance, I couldn’t resist but read this one, which sounded exactly like the kind of romance I would love.

Lady Catherine, a lady of immense wealth and gentle breeding, (though she is not so gentle herself), the ship she is traveling on, en route to Portugal, gets attacked by the notorious pirate Jonathan Hale. Crude, cynical beyond most heroes I have encountered and jealous to a fault & possessive as much, Jonathan claims Catherine as his own. Catherine hates Jonathan with a vengeance for treating her like common trash, ultimately making her his mistress, and fears the passion that Jonathan could invoke in her with a single glance.

Her last and final attempt to escape Jonathan lands her in a perilous situation, from which Jonathan risks his life to save her. Nursing him back to health, and falling in love with Jonathan which was a foregone conclusion from the moment they laid their eyes on one another, Catherine vows that she would bring this notorious pirate to heel and make him fall for her.

However, fate had different plans in store for these two, when suddenly their idyllic life on the pirates retreat found them under attack by the British soldiers, thirsting for revenge, thinking that Lady Catherine had been done away with.

Eventually wed, though her father had different plans in store for both of them, leads the reader on an enthralling ride, which I assure you, wouldn’t make you want to put this book down, even for a second.

And the interesting tidbit to this romance is that there is a second book which features these two strong characters, (which is rare for a romance), which I would start on most probably today. Although the second book Sea Fire didn’t get as raved about as Island Flame did, I would form my own opinion about the book in due time.

Until my next review, which most probably should be of Sea Fire by the same author, happy reading everyone!

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Seduce Me At Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Series: The Hathaways, Book 2
Hero: Kev Merripen
Heroine: Winnifred Hathaway
First Published on: September 30, 2008
Started On: August 16, 2009
Finished On: August 16, 2009

I sort of hit a reading frenzy and addiction for another Lisa Kleypas novel that needed a quick fix. Since I had ordered a couple of her books from Barnes & Noble a few months ago, I found myself with this heart touching novel from her that I couldn’t put down until I had read each and every bit of Kev and Win’s story.

Kev Merripen is half gypsy, half Irish, who as a kid led a  brutal life, where he had to fight, and I mean literally fight for survival. His uncle who was his guardian, made him fight with kids his own age to earn money. Never knowing any love while growing up, Kev was found by Win’s father lying on the road with serious injuries left to die. Thus begins this heart wrenching tale of two people who from the very start had eyes literally for one another only.

Win’s family being a pretty eccentric family with 5 siblings who weren’t materiallistically rich by any means, was the first time that Kev experienced life with a family that wanted him and cared for him. Even from the beginning a special bond forms between Win and Kev. Tragedy strucks Win’s happy family when her father dies of a heart attack followed closely by the death of their mother who just gave up  the will to live after her husband died. The story doesn’t just focus on Win and Kev, but rather on tids and bits of Win’s whole family mainly Amelia and her husband Cam (who later turns out to be Kev’s younger brother), Leo (whose girl friend dies after succumbing to scarlet fever), Beartix and Poppy. (I would really love to read their individual stories as I am sure it would make an engrossing read!)

Win too gets the scarlet fever and later develops a condition of the lungs that hinders her from participating in any strenous physical activity. Determined to get better in order to be a proper wife to Kev (even though he would rather die than admit he wanted Win to be his wife because he felt so unworthy of her), Win journeys to France with her brother Leo and returns back after two years with her doctor (Dr. Harrow) in tow.

Thus begins the battle between Win and Kev. Win who tries to convince Kev that he is the only one that she has ever wanted, and Kev trying to convince Win that she deserved much better than what he had to offer. Kev makes for a strong, brooding and enigmatic hero that any heroine would swoon over. I feel that Kleypas did justice with the heroine as well. She is beautiful and strong and makes a worthy opponent in the battle to let Kev find that he really did belong with Win no matter what.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Deadline by Simon Kernick

Format: Paperbackdeadlinesk.jpg
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Publisher: Corgi Adult
Hero: Mike Bolt
Heroine: Andrea Devern
Published On: August 26, 2008
Started On: August 7, 2009
Finished On: August 8, 2009

“Time only matters when its running out” rings true for this novel that takes the reader on a relentless ride. The story begins when successful businesswoman Andrea Devern returns home from work one evening to get a phone call on her mobile that gives the worst possible news a mother could ever hear. Her fourteen year old daughter has been kidnapped and half a million pounds in cash has to be paid up in order  to get her daughter back.

Together with her daughter, her husband Pet Phelan who isfive years younger than her in debt to loan sharks for gambling heavily and living  the high life off Andrea’s wealth, disappears together with Emma as well. Not knowing whether Pet was involved with the kidnapping, Andrea turns towards an old ‘romantic’ acquaintance from the past Jimmy Galante an individual with a violent past involved in armed robberies and murder who meets an untimely horrific demise upon trying to help Andrea with the drop off of the money.

Involvement of Jimmy angers the kidnappers and they demand for another half a million pounds before they would give Emma up. Shocked and horrified after seeing what the kidnappers had done to Jimmy, Andrea is stopped over by cops on the road and taken in for questioning after finding blood on her clothes left over from when she hugged Jimmy’s bloody corpse.

Then comes in Mike Bolt SG3 of SOCA, Serious and Organized Crime Agency who too has been involved clandestinely with Andrea in the past. Thus starts the race against time (less than 48 hours) to execute a plan to rescue Emma who could be Bolt’s daughter according to Andrea. Mike puts his career on the line for his might-be daughter in a dangerous chase to find who the kidnappers are and bring Emma back home before time runs out and Emma too could meet a horrific death at the kidnapper’s hands.

The story based on life in UK, is pretty interesting considering that most novels  that I tend to read are mostly from American authors. This is an author I am definitely going to add to my Favourite Author’s List.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Heat of the Storm By Elle Kennedy

Format: E-bookheat
Read with: MS Reader
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Series: Out of Uniform, Book 3
Hero: Lieutenant Will Charleston
Heroine: Mackenzie Wade
Published On: July 2009
Read on: July 29, 2009

Will and Mac have been best friends since they were 15 years old with Will having the hots for Mac since they met. While Will stays in top shape (has a body to die for!!) and puts his life in danger being a SEAL, Mac is a psychic who has had a sad turn in every relationship that she has been in. The latest breakup finally propels her into Will’s arms.

This story been refreshingly different, does not portray the guy to be tortured and cynical, but rather Mac who has issues with trusting men to accept her with her psychic abilities.

The sex is scorching and insanely HOT. The storyline good enough for such a short novel. Its interesting how for once, an author has attempted to write a novel where the guy goes for what he wants from the beginning of the story rather than the heroine who always takes whatever shit the hero has in store for her (not that I don’t enjoy those types of novels).

It takes much more than scorching sex to convince Mac that Will is the one for her. It was funny reading about how Will’s friend’s fiance helps him along in making Mac jealous after Mac tries to ignore the fact that they both had the best sex of their lives when the story begins.

If you want a read hot read with a satisfying ending, I would recommend it for you. This author is one I would keep my eye on from now on. 

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

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