Category / Great Read

Rating of 4 Stars

by mvbookreviewer

I-Review: Satisfaction Guaranteed by Tori Scott

Format: E-booksatisfactionguaranteed1
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Series: Satisfaction, Book 1
Hero: Grayson Montgomery
Heroine: Caramia Kensington
Sensuality: 3
Published On: July 13, 2011
Started On: July 31, 2011
Finished On: July 31, 2011

Visitor: What made you pick up Satisfaction Guaranteed by Tori Scott?

MBR: It was quite by chance that I stumbled upon Satisfaction Guaranteed by Tori Scott. I follow author MJ Fredrick on Twitter and it was she who tweeted about this novella which caught my eye, and seeing that it was for just 0.99 $, of course me being me, I just had to buy it.

Visitor: Tell us a little bit about the hero Grayson Montgomery.

MBR: Successful in his own right, Grayson has just turned 30 years old and is biding his time until the woman he loves turns 30 so that he can take her up on the promise that she made to him 15 years ago, before she left town and broke his heart.

Visitor: Now tell us a little bit about the heroine Caramia Kensington.

MBR: Caramia is the owner of Satisfaction Guaranteed and is going to turn 30 years old when the clock strikes the midnight hour. She is ambitious and always had been and had turnd her back on what Grayson had offered when they were fifteen years old because her ambitions didn’t feature her married, pregnant and barefoot before her teens were through.

Visitor: How does Caramia and Grayson meet for the first time?

MBR: Caramia and Grayson both grow up together going to the same school. There is no particular mention in the book of how they meet for the first time.

Visitor: What was it that drew you into the story with Satisfaction Guaranteed?

MBR: I found myself really fascinated with the secondary story that was taking place as I read along. The desire that the poor preacher’s daughter feels for the rich man whose childhood had been far from ideal makes for a very interesting premise and I couldn’t get enough of both Regina Baker and Sam Hyatt as I delved deeper into the story.

Visitor: What was it that you liked about Satisfaction Guaranteed?

MBR: I liked the fact that Tori Scott did a pretty decent job of developing her characters and built up the sensual vibe between Grayson and Caramia before plunging them both into the physical aspect of their relationship. It made the connection between them more endearing and realistic to me.

And of course, I absolutely loved the tidbits of Sam and Regina’s shared childhood that were brought into the story. They definitely have a story that is worth telling and am glad that the sequel to this entitled Perfectly Satisfied is going to quench my thirst for their story.

Visitor: Is there anything you would want done differently in Satisfaction Guaranteed?

MBR: Not really. I felt that Tori Scott has done a fairly good job out of telling a well rounded story in such a limited number of pages and it worked for me.

Visitor: Any memorable quotes/scenes from the story you would like to share?

MBR: I liked the bits where Grayson seemed totally in tune with Caramia so much that he knows exactly the stuff she’s made out of and gently draws her into his circle of love that in the end Caramia found as irresistible as I found it to be.

Visitor: Who would you recommend Satisfaction Guaranteed to?

MBR: Satisfaction Guaranteed is great for a quick read in between those emotionally draining novels. A novella that flows smoothly and leaves you begging for more. Recommended for fans of novellas and fans of reunion romances.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Soul Survivor by Misty Evans

Format: E-booksoulsurvivor
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Lost Worlds, Book 1
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Rife St. Cloud
Heroine: Keva Moon Water
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: June 20, 2011
Started On: July 30, 2011
Finished On: July 30, 2011

FBI Special Agent Rife St. Cloud is on vacation back in Wolf River, Oregon his hometown when a ritualistic killer leaves behind 6 dead women, all Native American with matching tattoos carved right above their left breast. Someone who has extensive knowledge in native languages and religion and having worked as a profiler for the past 5 years, the symbols carved into the dead women stirs unease deep in his gut until one of the women stirs back into life leaving him with more questions than answers.

Keva Moon Water is an immortal, someone who has walked the Earth for thousand years, waiting for the soul of the love of her life who had died from her hands to be reincarnated. Kai is the warrior who was sent to kill her if she didn’t marry Kai’s half-brother and had fallen in love with her instead. But Keva underestimates their mutual enemy’s dark obsession with her, someone whose willing to travel across time to finally claim what he has always considered his to do with as he pleases.

Though Keva longs to embrace the man who stands in front of her, her beloved Kai whom she has been waiting to see for a thousand years, the doubt that clouds Rife’s eyes whenever the subject comes up has Keva reeling back in pain. But even Rife who lets his life be led by logic and evidence cannot deny the flood of need that Keva opens up deep inside of him and neither can he deny the memories that keep taunting him to take a step beyond the realms of reality as he knows it and believe in the impossible for once in his life.

Soul Survivor is a story that spans a time period of thousand years and takes the reader on a journey of love that has withstood the test of time, heartache, loneliness and pain. It tells of a man’s obsession with possessing ultimate power in his hands for his own purposes and how ultimately good wins over evil, not without a few sacrifices along the way.

Rife McCloud is a strong and determined hero, definitely the type warriors are made out of, and Rife in the form of Kai, the warrior that lays claim on Keva the High Chieftess of the Salt Coast Clan just about took my breathe away. In Keva Rife finds a woman whose strength rivals and matches his, whose determination and courage to do what’s right leaves him in awe. The passion and need for each other that is so much a part of both of them is never too far, always prodding them along to reach new heights, to embrace a love that has traveled so far in its need to be embraced by two people who so very much need it.

A story that cleverly combines and weaves together the past and present, with two people courageous enough to face the impossible, Soul Survivor is a novel highly recommended for fans of time-travel romances with a twist.

Favorite Quotes

She drew a finger through her blood and then through his, mixing them. “Our souls are bound forever, warrior.”
Primal power raced through him and he ripped the bonds around his wrists free from the spruce. His muscled arms encircled her, forcing her to the ground underneath him. As she opened her legs to him, he drove inside her. She cried out, but it was with pleasure and passion.

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Against the Wall by Rhyannon Byrd

Format: E-bookagainstthewall
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Series: Standalone
Hero: Ryan McCall
Heroine: Shea Dresden
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: December 3, 2004
Started On: July 29, 2011
Finished On: July 29, 2011

Against the Wall is the novel that first introduced me to what Rhyannon Byrd can deliver in the erotic contemperory romance category. Filled with blistering scenes of raw and explicit passion between an aggressively alpha hero who is reluctant to get involved, with a plucky and innocent heroine who is more than willing to fight for the man she wants, Against the Wall is an erotic romance that truly lives up to its name delivering more than one against-the-wall-smexing scene before half way through the story.

35 year old Ryan McCall is an ATF agent who spends his days chasing gutter scum and his nights  seeking mindless pleasure from women who knows the score before getting down and dirty with him – that Ryan doesn’t do commitment at all. But all that changes from the moment he meets his neighbor, the sweetly innocent Shea Dresden who might just be the one to make commitment free sex a thing of his past, if he were to allow Shea to get past the walls of defence around his heart.

27 year old Shea is determined that her sexy as sin neighbor Ryan would take notice of her and deliver her from the sheer sexual frustration that seems to be a part of her ever since it stood up and took notice of the lethal sex god that Ryan seems to be. But what Shea wants from the sexy ATF agent is much more than sex, a fact that Shea knows would drive Ryan away instead of bringing them closer, a fact driven home by the 3 months during which Ryan has ignored all her attempts at making him sit up and take notice that she is very much interested in getting down and dirty with him.

Ryan can barely control himself when he lets his mind think about the sexy, impish creature that is his neighbor, if his possessive streak a mile wide when it comes to her is anything to go by. When Shea gets assaulted by a drunken lout driving Ryan into a rage that refuses to be tamped down, all the sizzling sexual energy that seems to simmer between them bursts forth, refusing to be held back letting Ryan know that just one single taste of Shea would never ever be enough where he is concerned.

Thus starts a week of sex-fest during which Ryan stakes his claim on the woman who has the ability to bring him to his very knees with a single look, a fact that seems to terrify and exhilirate him at the same time. But the question of the hour remains; will Ryan ever be able to let go of his past long enough to take the plunge into the future with the woman who is his match made in heaven?

As I mentioned before, Against the Wall is erotica in its most explicit form, delivering blisteringly raw and hot passion between two individuals that some might find to be a bit too much. But, being a book of the erotica genre, for me, I found the raw energy that practically pulsates between Ryan and Shea to be just what I needed as I ventured out to re-read this book, the scene at the bookstore that has always been on my mind prodding me along.

Ryan is a total alpha through and through, a bit aggressive and a bit of an ass at times when his raw emotions come to the surface. But I totally loved him for who he is and who he becomes as the story progresses along and nearly devoured him to pieces by the time I reached the epilogue. Shea is a wonderful heroine whose head over heels plunge into falling for the stubborn Ryan doesn’t stop her from going all the way to get what she wants, even with her vulnerable emotions so close to the surface where Ryan is concerned. The way she gives as good as she gets and lets her tender side heal Ryan is what made me fall for Shea all the way.

True, there isn’t much story telling apart from the sex fest that continues throughout which Rhyannon does so well. I would have loved to know more about both Ryan and Shea and the story would have been more fulfilling if they had been allowed to grow as a couple outside their sex hazed environment. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this one even the second time round and would recommend this to fans of erotica who don’t mind one electrifying sex scene after the other in their erotica.

As I finished this off the charts hot little number, there was one question ringing incessantly in my mind; is Rhyannon ever going to write the story of Ryan’s sexy partner Detective Derek Kiely and Shea’s best friend Hannah who seem to make a pretty darn explosive couple of their own? Oh well!

Favorite Quotes

And not just any man, honey, her incessantly complaining libido chimed in, but Ryan McCall, the sexiest damn thing we’ve ever set eyes on!
She looked up at him from beneath her long lashes and suddenly her lips curled  into a wicked smile full of carnal possibilities, feral and hungry and God-it’s-about-time! Then with trembling fingers, she pushed the silky dress right off her shoulders. It fell to the floor in a quiet swoosh of fabric, and she was standing before him wearing nothing but a minuscule black lace thong and her sandals.

Ryan felt his stomach drop to his feet and his heart lodge in his throat. Oh, hell. The last of his control shot to pieces as the raging hunger she always ignited in him blazed to life.“I just need to kiss you,” he murmured softly…roughly, his face already lowering to hers, big hands pressing against the slender line of her back, pulling her into his wide, tall frame while he pushed her harder against the book-lined wall. “I just need the touch of your lips…your taste in my mouth,” he rasped, voice thick with wonder. “I don’t know how you fucking do this to me, but I’m dying for it like some junked out addict.”

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Ellora’s Cave

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Smooth Irish by Jennifer Saints

Format: E-booksmoothirish
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Between Your Sheets Publishing
Series: Weldon Series, Book 2
Hero: Jackson Weldon
Heroine: Nancy Miller
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: December 8, 2009
Started On: July 22, 2011
Finished On: July 23, 2011

It is a very rare occurrence for me these days to start on the next book of a series by an author before taking a break in between. However, I found myself tempted to skip my ‘rule’ and go ahead with the 2nd book in the Weldon series, to find out for myself whether the passion between the grieving widower Jackson Weldon and Nancy Miller would be as explosive in reality as I had envisioned it in my mind after practically storming through the sensuous scenes of passion in the 1st book of the series.

35 year old Jackson is the eldest sibling of the 4 Weldon brothers in Savannah, Georgia. Jackson is a man still grieving for the untimely death of his wife Amy and blames himself for her death which prevents him from joining the living world. Jackson creates for himself a rut in which he is more than comfortable in, and lets the music that runs in his soul do the rest for him. With no aim or plans in his life to pave the way forward, Jackson stumbles into each day as it arrives until he meets his sister-in-law’s best friend Nan who makes his heart beat in anticipation for the very first time since the death of his wife.

30 year old Nan is goal-oriented if nothing else and plans her life to achieve those goals which will take her further and further away from the wanting little girl who lived and grew up in a less than stellar trailer on the backside of a country road. Dedicated to her profession as a nurse, Nan rarely gives herself time to stop and smell the roses, always focused on reaching the next step of her plan.

When Nan meets the sexy as sin older brother of Jesse Weldon, her best friend’s husband at her wedding, for the first time she finds for herself the lure of sexual attraction though she makes herself walk away from Jackson and his aimless life once she finds out that there is no future to be had with the man.

Three months since she walked out on him and the memories of the feverish kisses they shared still linger on, haunting her and teasing her to taste what she never let herself fall for during the brief time they had dated. With her dreams and fantasies escalating out of control each passing day, Nan finds herself saying yes to one weekend of decadent pleasure in the arms of the one man who has the ability to turn her mind to mush and makes her body hum in pleasure.

But when reality comes knocking at the door, Nan is once again forced to face the fact that Jackson with his past haunting him is not the man for her though she may have fallen head over heels in love with him. Its up to both Jackson and Nan to want each other and love one another enough to move past beyond the shackles of the past and to face the future that would be the stuff fantasies and dreams are made of if they were to face it together.

I have to say that being still on the high left over from Jesse and Alexia’s story, I felt a tad disappointed with how Smooth Irish unfolded though this one also made a favorable impression on me. Jackson and Nan were both endearing characters whose passion for each other draws them together, no matter how much Nan tries to prevent herself from walking into disaster with both eyes open.

Jackson is a tortured hero, who hides a wealth of pain and guilt behind a facade of charm that refuses to be hidden from Nan who makes short work of opening up his wounds that have continued to fester rather than heal during the 4 years Jackson has tried to forget the pain with which he lives.

For me, the passion between Nan and Jackson wasn’t as explosive as I hoped it would be, but still Jennifer Saints has added mouth watering scenes of passion that brings out her talent in delivering the readers with sensuous scenes of love that would remain with them for a long time.

Its good to know that though this is the last published book in the Weldon Series for now, Jennifer plans on making additions to it which would be well received by its fans.

Smooth Irish is a book that goes down like a tall, cool glass of water on a sweltering hot day and leaves you begging for more!

Recommended for those who have read book 1 and are dying to get their hands on book 2; for those who love stories with tortured grieving widowed heroes and for those who are fans of Jennifer Saints who writes under the pseudonyms J.L. Saint and Jennifer St. Giles.

Favorite Quotes

“Eventually you will come to understand that love heals everything, and love is all there is.”
Gary Zukav, author

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Tempting the Enemy by Dee Tenorio

Format: E-booktemptingtheenemy
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Series: Resurrection, Book 1
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Pale Rysen
Heroine: Jade-Scarlet
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: June 14,  2010
Started On: July 11, 2011
Finished On: July 13, 2011

Tempting the Enemy is my first taste of Dee Tenorio’s ability to spin an incredible tale in the paranormal romantic suspense genre. Book one in the series entitled Resurrection, Dee introduces us into a world of shape shifters and a fascinating breed known as Sibiles who have different kinds of abilities together with a history of bad blood between themselves and the wolf shifters.

Pale Reysen is an Alpha who has sworn to create a safe haven for wolf shifters whose vast numbers have rapidly declined since humans had started hunting them down. Part of the Violent Crimes Division at the Moonridge Police Station where the chase is on to find a serial killer dubbed as the Woodsman by the media, Pale is as ecstatic as someone waiting on deathrow when their captain announces that a Sibile would be helping them on their race against time as the dead body parts continue to pile up.

When half-Wolf and half-Sibile Jade-Scarlet walks into his police station bringing with her the undeniable scent of a Wolf female in Heat, Pale nearly loses it as his Wolf growls, pricks and pokes at him to unleash the beast so that it can claim its rightful mate. However, the fact remains that having being once betrayed by her kind, Pale would never have a reason to let Jade in nor give into the hunger that seems to shred his insides to pieces.

Jade is a Wolf who has too long denied her animal side, having lived with The Order ever since her parents were killed. A Sibile whose abilities lie in being able to hunt down emotional signatures left behind, Jade however has a hard time keeping her mind on the mission of uncovering the identity of a vicious killer as all her instincts scream at her to lay down and offer herself to the Wolf that seems to unleash such violent desire within her.

Bound by a need neither can deny, both Jade and Pale learns to trust one another as they are forced to spend time together chasing a killer whose nefarious intents when it comes to light sends cold dread racing through Jade’s insides as she realizes what it is she must do in order to rid the world of a mad man who would stop at nothing in his quest to belong. With the future shrouded in uncertainty, Jade gives herself up to the Wolf she will mate with for life, knowing that in the end that they would both have to go their separate ways regardless of how much they would be giving up by forcing themselves to walk away from one another.

Tempting the Enemy is a story that combines a fantastic paranormal world and delivers edge-of-the-seat suspense together with a passion that is scorching enough to render you into a puddle of goo. From the start, the intense connection between Jade and Pale never lets up and the killer’s cunning plans which ties along neatly with Jade’s appearance rendering this a well balanced paranormal romantic suspense.

Pale is a broody and mouth-wateringly sexy hero whose possessive streak is a mile wide, his protectiveness an undeniable facet of him that endeared him to me from the start. Jade is the type of heroine I have come to accept and love when it comes to books by Dee; loyal, feisty and vulnerable with a core of steel that doesn’t let anyone run roughshod over them. Each of the characters introduced along the way held my riveted, undivided attention, marking them off in my mind as future candidates who should receive their own stories in this series somewhere down the  line.

Highly enjoyable, Tempting the Enemy is recommended for fans of paranormal romantic suspense and fans of Dee Tenorio who have yet to find out the amazing things she can do in this genre.

Favorite Quotes

He turned his head toward the open double doors across from his desk, inhaling a deep breath. A new scent drifted to him, distinct from the usual grime and wear inside the department. Warm honey. Cloves. Citrus soap under the light salt of sweat. Female.

“You are what I want.” Did he even know the way his eyes glowed when he watched her? That when his voice was so gruff, she could feel it and all the longing he had in it? That he was stealing parts of her heart with every word? “I want all of you. For always.”

Pale circled the bed and picked her up in his arms. Her cheeks turned his favorite shade of red as he kissed her, his heart full of so many things he couldn’t say. Not yet. So he kissed her again and felt the rest of his soul become hers.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: The Fifth Kingdom by Caridad Piñeiro

Format: E-bookthefifthkingdom
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Special Agent Guillermo Santana
Heroine: Dr. Deanna Vasquez
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 11, 2011
Started On: July 4, 2011
Finished On: July 5, 2011

The Fifth Kingdom by Caridad Piñeiro is a novel that combines romance and adventure in equal spades delivering a romantic suspense that ought to please many a fan of the genre. Most of the story takes place in Mexico where the buried treasure of a long lost civilization seems to bring out the most cutthroat criminals who would cross no boundaries in order to attain the prize they are after.

The heroine Dr. Deanna Vasquez is a history lecturer at one of the premier prep schools in Manhattan. When Special Agent Bill Santana from the CIA seeks her out claiming that her estranged mother might be in trouble, Deanna’s first reaction is to go crawl under a rock and forget that she ever heard the news.

When Deanna comes to know that her mother’s quest to find the tomb of Montezuma, one of the last Emperors of the Aztecs might have borne fruit after 14 long years during which she had left behind her 13 year old daughter and husband behind, Deanna knows deep in her heart that she can’t turn away from her mother’s obvious need for help with her conscience intact.

What stirs Deanna more than anything else is the strong and larger than life Bill who manages to invoke all sorts of emotions in her, a man with a heartbreaking past of his own who finds a haven of warmth and comfort in Deanna’s arms. As Bill and Deanna travel to Mexico in the guise of engaged lovers, their pretend arrangement suddenly takes a more realistic edge as both of them give into the feelings of passion that have stalked them right from the very start.

As danger escalates together with each step they take closer towards the buried treasure, their salvation comes in the form of a relic that could change the world as we know it, that could drive the world to the brink of disaster and beyond if it were to land in the wrong hands.

The Fifth Kingdom proved to be an entertaining romantic suspense with an endearing hero and heroine thrown together by circumstance, and yet find the best thing to happen to each of them in one another. Bill is a tender hero who doesn’t let his past color his future and Deanna is a strong heroine who finds reason enough to trust in a man like Bill. The scenes of passion between the two were hot and tender at the same time, perfectly in tune with the adventure aspect of the novel.

Recommended for fans of romantic suspense.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Caressed By Ice by Nalini Singh

Format: E-bookcaressedbyice
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Psy-Changeling, Book 3
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Hero: Judd Lauren
Heroine: Brenna Shane Kincaid
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: September 4, 2007
Started On: June 30, 2011
Finished On: July 1, 2011

The 3rd book in the Psy/Changeling series seems to be a favorite amongst its fans and I too have succumbed and joined the legion of fans who loved the story of the very lethal Psy Judd Lauren and the strong Brenna Kincaid whose dark past would have completely broken down a lesser woman.

Judd is a fascinating Psy not only because this is the first time that a male Psy is in the position of a hero but because Judd is a defector from the Psy world where he was trained to be a lethal killing machine, a member of the elite team of soldiers known as the Arrow Squad. Highly skilled in the art of mental martial combat, Judd is a Psy who is more in control of his emotions than most Psy, someone who has been conditioned from the tender age of ten to never ever give in to any sort of emotion which would make him and the others around him vulnerable to his abilities.

Brenna Kincaid is the wolf from the SnowDancer pack who manages to escape the brutal kidmapping and invasive rape of her mind by the psychotic Santano Enrique in the first book of the series. Since then, Brenna struggles every day to fight her fears and come out a winner although it feels like an uphill climb every single moment that terror paralyzes her. Surprisingly, it is towards Judd that she turns to knowing that he would give her exactly what she wants and needs instead of the constant pity and understanding to which she is subjected to by her own kind.

It is the vicious murder of a male wolf in the pack that bears eerie similarity to how Enrique used to cut up his victims that kick-starts a series of events that propels the growth of the relationship between Judd and Brenna. Judd who resists the feelings and emotions that are as foreign to him as the lack of any sort of emotion or touch is foreign to Brenna, whose changeling nature needs and craves emotional and physical contact to survive.

Though Judd faces animosity from Brenna’s brothers who go beyond the bounds of normal protectiveness given Brenna’s close encounter with death at the hands of a Psy, Brenna is a wolf who knows what she wants and is prepared to go through any lengths to make a union between her and Judd possible by any means.

Judd is certainly a dreamy hero; ruthless, dangerous and a hot inferno of feelings waiting to burst forth when it comes to Brenna. His mate for life though mating is a foreign concept to Psy is strong enough to take him as he is and wouldn’t have it any other way. There is no way on Earth you can read Judd and Brenna’s book and not crave some of that icy-hot passion for yourself that Judd is certainly more than capable of giving.

Together with their romance continues the story of the play for dominance by the Psy race who think themselves to be superior than any other beings to inhabit the Earth. As they move onto the next phase of Silence, a plan so nefarious that within the Psy population itself starts a movement of rebellion helped along by their allies on the outside that makes for a great continuing story.

Recommended for fans of the series.

P.S. I am having such a hard time sticking with reading the series in order. Hawke is tempting me to jump into his book which is the 10th book in the series and the temptation certainly seems to be doing its number on me. Sigh!!

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

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Viper’s Kiss by Shannon Curtis

Format: E-bookviperskiss
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Luke Fletcher
Heroine: Margaret Elizabeth Kincaid
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 25, 2011
Started On: June 26, 2011
Finished On: June 26, 2011

Who in the world wouldn’t want to read a title with a cover as this one? I fell completely for it and though Shannon Curtis is a totally new author for me, within the first chapter itself I knew that in this instant judging the book by its cover had been the right thing to do.

Margaret Elizabeth Kincaid is the Information Services Librarian at the University of Washington whose wildest nightmares couldn’t have shown her the turmoil her life could turn into. Arrested and taken into custody for economic espionage and murder, Maggie’s orderly life is turned upside down when being arrested with the whole university looking on is just the tip of the iceberg.

When the squad car in which she is held is stopped by gun-toting vicious looking goons who have no problem with killing two federal officers whilst they are at it, Maggie undergoes the goons’ vicious onslaught whose only aim is to retrieve the research of the world-altering kind she supposedly has stolen for their boss. Being called the ‘Viper’ when she she has no clue as to who she is, Maggie is at a loss which doesn’t stop her from fighting for her right to survive.

Maggie narrowly escapes being manhandled to death by one set of goons only to run smack-dab into the arms of Luke Fletcher who is Ex-Special Forces and works for the McCormack Security Agency who has been entrusted with the task of retrieving the sensitive information stolen by the notorious and vicious Viper.

What Luke doesn’t comprehend happening is that he would screw up his first solo assignment so royally by lusting after the notorious Viper, almost believing the lies that comes out of her delectable mouth. Tall, blonde and too dangerous for her peace of mind is what Luke is to Maggie who has never been so tempted to break her own ninety day rule before. The fact that he almost makes her forget the reason for their acquaintance is reason enough for Maggie to be wary of the man whose rough and hard kisses stir her to her very soul.

And just when it seems like things may finally work out for Luke and Maggie, reality intervenes making Maggie take matters into her own hands to prove once and for all that she is not the infamous Viper whom everyone thinks she is.

For me, Viper’s Kiss turned out to be a surprisingly enjoyable read. I liked both Maggie and sexy as hell Luke and the chemistry between the two. Luke surprisingly is the only ex-military hero that I have encountered who actually has plans of settling down and what scares him is the fact that Maggie is the one he wants to do that with whilst still thinking her to be Viper.

The adventure aspect of the novel was fast-paced with plenty of action and thus never a dull moment in the story. And I enjoyed Drew Michaels and Noah Samuels entry into the story, the two other agents sent in who lend the story something extra with their presence. Would love to see more stories about the rest of the guys at MSA and I definitely look forward to reading more from Shannon Curtis.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: The Way That You Play It by B.J. Thornton

Format: E-bookthewaythatyouplayit
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Hero: Trenton Michael Buckney, Jr.
Heroine: Caroline Curran
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 7, 2011
Started On: June 30, 2011
Finished On: June 30, 2011

The Way That You Play It by BJ Thornton set to release on the 7th of July is a novel that fans of romances who love a bit of music with their romance ought to read. It tells the story of the 29 year old Trenton Buckney who has lost all 3 jobs which he had been working to support his mother and baby sister. From Bibb City Georgia, Trent is down on his luck, a man at his wits end as to what to do to turn his life around whilst deep inside he fears that it might already be too late for him.

31 year old Caroline Curran is a song writer who has been cheated out of everything by her slimy ex-boyfriend who has dumped her for a much younger and happening singer. Caroline might still feel like bawling her eyes out every time she sees the much younger woman’s pictures plastered all over magazines but she is determined to get back every dime he owes her even if it means resorting to less than legal means to get what she wants.

When the beaten down looking Trent turns up looking for her, courtesy of Reyes, the man who seems to be hellbent on making a favorable impression on her and whose motives remain unclear to Caroline, she is taken-aback at first until she hears the magic that Trent’s voice can weave. From then on, Caroline is determined that she would pick up the pieces of her broken professional life and that Trent would be her means of achieving that.

Trent is afraid to let hope rein in and lodge itself permanently in his heart, afraid that everything will come crashing down the minute he lets his guard down and give into what Caroline makes him feel. As his music career moves forward so does his burgeoning feelings towards Caroline until his tenuous control on his emotions break finally, releasing them both to embrace a passion as heady as the beautiful music that they make together.

But Trent’s happiness is a short-lived one when his past actions come calling, forcing him to walk away from the only thing that his heart yearns for in its otherwise bleak existence. Their happily ever after when it comes is a hard won one which makes their union all that much stronger and their story a more wonderful one on all counts.

The Way That You Play It is a great romance that encompasses the struggles of a nearly broken man who emerges a winner through no small feat. Though Trent might not be your typical hero material, he is nevertheless a lethal combination of charm and a body that could provoke a saint to sin. Caroline is just the right woman for a man like Trent with her combination of sweetness and the iron grit that lets her dig her heels in when Trent pushes her away when he actually needs her love the most.

The story between the enigmatic Reyes and Caroline’s best friend Jackie is an interesting one that was left unresolved by the end of the story. I am hoping there might be a story loosely tied with this one in the future that would give them both a fitting happily ever after even though Reyes does come off as a bit of a snob and control freak in this story though he might have had the best of intentions.

The Way That You Play It is a beautiful and different contemporary romance that fans of the genre should give a go just to experience the difference. With two characters who makes you root for them right from the very beginning, The Way That You Play It would make for an ideal summer read to escape reality, one page at a time.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Omnific Publishing

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Chasin’ Eight by Lorelei James

Format: E-bookchasineight
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Rough Riders, Book 11
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Chase McKay
Heroine: Ava Cooper
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: June 28, 2011
Started On: June 28, 2011
Finished On: June 28, 2011

Chasin’ Eight by Lorelei James is the 11th book in her Rough Riders series. The Rough Riders series is one of my favorite western romances not only because sensual material is plentiful in the stories but because Ms. James creates characters whom with their faults and all you still manage to fall in love with at the end of the day.

Chasin’ Eight tells the story of the wild bull ridin’ Chase McKay. Like every single McKay that we have come across in the series, Chase too walks on the wild side too many a time until it all comes back to bite him where it hurts. Suddenly Chase finds himself on indefinite leave from the Professional Bull Rider’s World until he manages to get his act together. With a plan on how to get his life back, Chase heads home to Sundance, Wyoming where he comes face to face with Ava Cooper.

Heiress to the Cooper fortune, Ava is a Hollywood star who experiences the vicious side of the paparazzi when the man she has been going out with for the past couple of months professes to be gay on a public press conference. Humiliated that she hadn’t seen the signs sooner, Ava decides to take a break from Hollywood stardom and go lick her wounds in private where no one will recognize her. That leads her to Wyoming to crash in her friend Ginger’s husband Kane McKay’s trailer out in the middle of nowhere only to be roused from sleep by the most alluring specimen of man flesh she has ever seen.

Too bad that Chase has made a vow to stay off women for a month, otherwise he would have had the beautiful Ava beneath him before he drew his next breathe. But with sex out of the equation, Ava and Chase both strike a deal to try out being friends and keeping each other company in the journey Chase makes across the country to sharpen his riding skills. For the first time, Chase finds himself charmed by the company of a fully clothed woman though thoughts of getting down and dirty are never far from his or Ava’s minds.

For two people who come from totally different backgrounds and lead so different lives, Ava and Chase finds in each other a kindred soul who understands the other and between them an explosive passion that wouldn’t be bound by restrictions any longer. With red-hot passion comes strolling in feelings of the mushier kind, love that could last a lifetime if both Ava and Chase are willing to give it a shot.

Though Chasin’ Eight did not make my favorites list, nevertheless it was a great read which I enjoyed immensely. What I loved most about Chase’s story was how he slowly turned into someone better, climbing up from the rock bottom which he hits at the start of the story. The road trips that Ava and Chase makes across the country served to be where we get to learn more about both Ava and Chase, each of them growing up a little as the miles pass. Undeniably true to trademark Lorelei James style, scenes of passion are smokin’ hot and I loved each and every one of them.

Though this one doesn’t incorporate much of the rest of the McKay brood, this one certainly made me sit up and notice Ben, Chase’s brother who has certainly been hiding some of his very interesting qualities which hopefully will be brought to light in the next installment of the series. Raunchy hot lovin’ with emotional wrangling goodness is what you will find here and this one would definitely make a great summer read!

Recommended for fans of the Rough Rider series. And the good news for those who are new to the series, this one can be read as a standalone!

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

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