Category / Harlequin

by mvbookreviewer

Review: All They Need by Sarah Mayberry

Format: E-bookalltheyneed
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin SuperRomance
Publisher: Harlequin Publishers
Hero: Flynn Randall
Heroine: Melanie Porter
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: November 1, 2011
Started On: October 9, 2011
Finished On: October 12, 2011

All They Need is the much awaited latest release by my favorite Harlequin author Sarah Mayberry. This story is somewhat a bit different from the last two releases by Sarah Mayberry in the sense that this is less intense, a bit more mellow and slow moving, but nevertheless makes for a great read, the remarkable ease with which Sarah manages to draw in the reader once again evident in this one as well.

34 year old Flynn Randall comes from one of the richest families in Australia. A single child, Flynn is the type of hero that makes you want to curl into a comfy little ball and sigh over. I say this because Flynn has “honor” tattooed on his forehead for everyone to see. Filthy rich, handsome and charming he might be, but he is no arrogant hero who expects each and every female within his vicinity to swoon over him. Rather, he is the type who feels things deep inside, the kind of man who steps up when his family needs him to do so, the kind of man who does the right thing even if it hurts him deep inside to do so.

31 year old Melanie Porter is newly divorced and still recovering from the number her abusive marriage has done on her. Not your average heroine Mel might be with her build that makes her tower over the average female. But to Flynn, Mel has always held an appeal even when she had been off limits, though he had never acted on his attraction towards her then.

Making a vow to herself to never make herself that vulnerable towards another person again, Mel is more than surprised and a bit apprehensive to say the least when she discovers that she might not be immune to the charms of Flynn who makes her want to throw caution to the wind and indulge. The ease with which they fall into an easy friendship with the hint of just something more was certainly one of the best things about this story.

But six years of constant verbal abuse has left its mark on Mel and her feelings towards Flynn though strong continues to be tamped down with the memories of what it was like when she was married before. But Flynn knows a good thing when he sees it, and when for the first time in his life he falls in love; the kind of love that he has wanted to feel always, being a witness to the deep abiding love between his parents; Flynn knows he would never let Mel go, even if it meant giving up his dreams of marriage and children in the process.

Although this novel too delves into a topic that touches one deeply, i.e. Alzheimer’s disease, it wasn’t the depressing sort of read but rather those bits makes you thankful for the memories good and bad that linger on in your life. Sarah Mayberry always has that uncanny ability to delve into the heart of the matter and that’s what she does even with this novel, delivering those bits and pieces that makes you want to cry and then smile all at the same time.

The enduring love between Flynn’s parents makes one yearn for a love like theirs, a love that would no doubt withstand the devastating reality of Alzheimer’s disease on a marriage that has withstood 40 years of togetherness. How Flynn and Mel find their way towards each other is a slow moving one, one that I felt was indeed appropriate for a woman like Mel who had undergone so much pain, self-doubt, abuse and heartbreak before. But once the relationship makes the turn it has been waiting for ever since Flynn and Mel lay eyes on each other, I was pleasantly surprised by the red hot bite of sensuality that Sarah weaves into their relationship so cleverly, leaving me with a hot flash or two in the process.

Like I have said before, and at the cost of repeating myself, Sarah writes stories about “real” people, whose feelings and emotions you can certainly relate to, whose sorrows you feel deeply and whose victories and happily ever after you see through with happy tears in your eyes.

Recommended for fans of Harlequin Super Romances, fans of Sarah Mayberry and fans of slow moving and yet satisfying romances.

Favorite Quotes

She should have looked ridiculous, standing there wet and bedraggled in her silly underwear, but she looked magnificent. Like some kind of mythical goddess rising from the mists of time.
Statuesque, utterly feminine. Breathtaking.

She acted completely on instinct, closing the distance between them and wrapping her arms around him. He was unresponsive for a long beat, as though she’d taken him by surprise, then his arms went around her in turn.
Her breasts were pressed to his chest and every breath she took was filled with the smell of his aftershave but there was nothing sexual about their embrace. She was offering him a little comfort, and he was accepting it. It was as small and simple as that.

He was strong and warm and male and his mouth moved gently against hers, his kiss provocative and soothing at the same time. Her hands found his shoulders, her fingers gripping muscle and bone. She felt the brush of his tongue against her lips, then he was inside her, hot and wet and demanding, and a part of herself she’d pushed down deep inside came roaring to life.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Harlequin

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: The Sheriff’s Daughter by Kay Stockham

Format: E-bookthesherrifsdaughter
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: North Star, Montana Series, Book 1
Publisher: Harlequin Publishers
Hero: Liam McKenna
Heroine: Caroline Taggert
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: September 6, 2011
Started On: October 1, 2011
Finished On: October 8, 2011

I am always confused when it comes to the release dates of Harlequin romances. The Sheriff’s Daughter was up for grabs at Netgalley & states the release date as the 10th of this month. But a visit to the author’s website revealed that this book has already been released this September. Regardless of all this confusion, The Sheriff’s Daughter turned out to be a surprisingly wonderful & heartwarming romance, filled with endearing characters that worm their way into your hearts and impact you in a way that makes you remember them even long after you are done with the story.

This is the 1st book in a new series entitled as North Star, Montana Series. Based in the small town of North Star in Montana, this series focuses on the three adopted boys Liam, Brad and Chance of the McKenna family. The Sheriff’s Daughter tells the story of Liam, the boy who used to get into all sorts of trouble, who grows into a man who carries the sort of deep emotional wounds that one would never fathom that the now calm and controlled Deputy Sheriff of North Star to have.

Liam and Carly meet each other in high school during their freshmen year, Carly growing up as the daughter of the town’s sheriff and as the town sweetheart whilst Liam had grown up in foster care ever since he turned five years old, his belligerence stemming from the fact that his mother had never wanted anything to do with him. Carly has her own demons to conquer with her mother abandoning her while she was young. The hurt that has never completely faded away is one reason why Carly is so adamant on becoming a foster mother, going so far as to completing all the paperwork that would pave the way for her.

When Carly’s father goes on a two week vacation, Liam is under orders to see to Carly’s welfare, to see to it that she doesn’t get into any sort of trouble while the Sheriff is away. Carly revels in the freedom of not having her father around for the first time in her 27 years of life and gets into a bit of trouble here and there, just not enough to warrant Liam breathing down her neck, enticing her into forgetting that she has never before had the hots for her friend since high school.

Liam tries so damn hard to keep his hands off of Carly, but the temptation she presents just by existing is too hard for him to deny. Though Liam knows that he has nothing to offer for someone like Carly who shines with an inner goodness that has landed her in her fair share of trouble in the past, Liam cannot say no to the answering need that blazes to life in Carly as one kiss turns into two and something much more than either of them bargained for.

The Sheriff’s Daughter is a very well done first book for an enticing series that I am definitely going to be keeping an eye out for. Kay Stockham though a new author for me didn’t make me feel like a stranger to her writing. Her way of telling a story leaves no room for the reader to back out, but rather invites one to make herself at home and see where Kay’s characters are going to lead you. I loved the way Kay seemed  to know just which buttons to push when it came to both Liam and Carly and absolutely reveled in all the emotionally-charged encounters that Kay delivers so very well.

Liam is a hero that each and every one of us  is bound to fall for. Strong, silent and handsome with a tortured soul that deep down inside wants love and is afraid to ask for it, Liam’s brooding nature makes for a very enticing hero. His control which always snaps when it comes to Carly was so darn fun to watch, the way he tries to hold himself together around her and fails so miserably, lets just say that I was grinning throughout it all!

Carly is such a wonderful heroine who managed to make me fall in love with her right from the very start. With her heart always in the right place, all Carly wants is a stable home and a man who would stand by her side and children that she can love and grow old with. Though Liam tempts her in ways she has never been tempted before, Carly’s one hard and fast rule in relationships has always been to never date someone whose a cop. But for Liam, Carly finds herself breaking all the rules, defying every reason that she stay away from him because deep down inside Carly knows that Liam is the one for her. And though Liam might push her away, Carly knows that he needs her more than she needs him.

It was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time to see Carly’s struggles as a foster mother, an aspect of the novel that I found really interesting. There were no short cuts to handling becoming a foster mother for the first time, the troubles Carly faced seeming all too real which lends the story that quality that makes it hard to put down. Liam who is adamant that Carly remain as far away as possible from foster parenting finds himself tied to a woman whose big heart refuses to do that, forcing Liam face his worst nightmares and open up wounds that are better left unopened.

There is not one character within the story that doesn’t lend something extra to it, making this contemporary romance a very well rounded one. The passion between Carly and Liam is of the toe-curling variety, one that made my senses come alive and hum in anticipation every single time. Kay certainly knows how to deliver on all the sexual tension she creates so well, and I for one ended up very satisfied with how she dealt with their passion, the romance and of course the happily ever after.

The ending which came with a lot of surprising twists and turns paves the way for the next story in the series. Brad, the steadfast member of the McKenna family who has to butt heads with the daughter of his foster father who never acknowledged her father’s existence when he was alive. The sparks I believe will surely fly & I am expecting a lot of emotional grittiness from the story, knowing how well Kay can deliver a good dose of angst with her stories if this book is anything to judge her style by.

Recommended for fans of Harlequin Superromances, fans of Kay Stockham and fans of romances with a small town setting, The Sheriff’s Daughter is an intense read that delivers on all counts.

Favorite Quotes

Liam stared at her, his gaze glittering hot with something she was afraid to identify because it made her knees weak and she couldn’t breathe from the intensity and pace of her heart pounding away in her chest.
He wanted to kiss her.
He didn’t want to want to kiss her—she could read that in his expression, as well—but she knew he did. And right, then. Cop or not—mistake that it would be— she wanted him to kiss her, too.

His mouth settled over hers with mind-numbing possession and it was way better than the on-screen kisses she’d envied. Way better than— Wow.
Liam released a husky groan the second his tongue swept into her mouth to touch hers. Fire exploded in her veins, a hot rush of feeling and sensation that obliterated the chiding voice in her head, screaming at her to run.

When she didn’t let go, when she buried her freckled nose in his chest and snuggled closer and when she shivered from the cold, he couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and wrapping his arms around her. Hesitant, he lowered his face into her hair and breathed deep.

Liam tossed the top half of the sleeping bag aside and snagged the end of her shirt and jacket. Her jeans were next, the moonlight bright enough he could see the masses of freckles on her pale skin and the starkness of Carly’s matching black lace underwear. “Do you always wear things like that?”
“They make me feel sexy.”
She didn’t need anything to be sexy. “Any sexier and I’d keel over now.”

Groaning softly, he kissed her, his tongue on hers as he matched his movements. His strokes quickened, harder, deeper, until pleasure suffused every nerve in her body and sent her zinging into the heavens above like the lights they’d come there to watch.

She turned her head and rubbed her cheek against the surprisingly velvety feel of his inner arm, the muscle tensing even more against her face when she pressed a kiss to his skin. In response, she felt him flex inside her.
“Caroline.”
She’d always hated her name. It was too old-fashioned, too hokey and very grandma-ish. But when Liam said it like that, she actually liked it. He made her name, he made her, feel like the sexiest, most beautiful woman on earth.

He sucked in a harsh breath when she pressed her mouth to his, and she was fascinated by the way his eyes darkened and glittered with sexual hunger when their tongues melded together. It was cold, the temperature dropping little by little. It didn’t matter. Not when she could press her bare breasts against his chest to warm them, when his hands slid up her back and his arms were so engulfing and so hot she was encased in perfect heat.

“Before you tell me how we shouldn’t be doing this—” did she dare say what she was thinking? “—I want you to remember how it felt when we were together, because I know you’d like to feel that way again.”
His hands tightened at her waist and his entire body hardened against hers. She drew back enough to see his face and caught her breath at his expression. Desire and want, need. Not sexual but…the need for closeness, for a connection. For her.

With every detail about his home she noted, anticipation built inside her. His silence added to the feeling when the closing of the door and the latch of the lock shut out the moonlight and everything else.
The last what-if niggles of doubts fled entirely, replaced one hundred percent by the awareness that she was with the man she was supposed to be with. Broken, bruised, guarded. Liam needed her. Even more than she needed and wanted him.

He suddenly understood in a way and on a level he never had before why Carly was so passionate about fostering. Why she was drawn to it.
He understood, but it didn’t make it any easier. Carly had never been abused and she wasn’t sucked into hell at the sight of every mark on Riley.
Not like him. Staring into Riley’s gaze Liam saw clear to the kid’s battered soul and it ripped Liam’s heart out because what he saw… What he saw was like reliving his past—and getting burned—all over again.

A flash of something—hope, excitement, disbelief— flickered over the boy’s face, shattering the remaining pieces of her heart. She’d known it would be a hard journey, and staring at Riley’s cast and bruises, she struggled to hold a smile on her face. Being a mother, especially a foster mother, took strength and courage, a backbone of steel and a loving heart.
All the qualities her mother had lacked—and all the things Carly was slowly learning she possessed.

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Forever by Lynn Turner

Format: E-bookforever
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Presents, #893
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Sam Forrester
Heroine: Bernadette Chapman
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: May 1,1986
Started On: October 1, 2011
Finished On: October 5, 2011

Forever by Lynn Turner is a novel that I stumbled upon in my attempts to find more jungle-trek themed romances. Published in 1986, this is an old-school romance that does a good job of the character development, the setting as well as the romance and passion between the main characters.

44 year old Colonel Sam Forrester is sought out by the prim and proper 24 year old Bernadette Chapman whose a teacher and a librarian to find out whether Sam could help her out in her current predicament. Stranded with 6 school girls and their headmistress who had taken ill with Malaria, the only thing Bernadette wants is for all of them to safely get back home. Though she doesn’t know what to expect when it comes to Sam, there is no hiding from the fact that he is unlike any man Bernadette has ever encountered before, a man who has been hardened by his experiences in life.

A chain of events sees Sam and Bernadette traipsing through the dense African jungle, making their way towards civilization. The prickling awareness that they have of each other is always a constant presence, the desire to explore where the heady feelings each invokes in the other making a situation fraught with danger even more tense. The only thing that saves Bernadette from making a fool of herself and succumbing to the sensual demands of her body when it comes to Sam is the fact that Sam thinks her to be a Nun, a lie that Bernadette makes full use of in order to protect herself from a sensual and emotional assault that she knows would be devastating on her.

With just the right amount of action in between the pages of taut sensuality, Forever is a novel that proved to be both captivating and thrilling at the same time. The first half of the book kept me on tenterhooks, Sam’s surly nature and possessive jealousy when it comes to Bernadette who remains unaware of the fact such a thrill delve into. But when the “lie” about Bernadette came into the picture and seemed to drag on for quite a long while, some of the joy I felt with Bernadette’s character diminished. When it comes to romances, what I want for my hero and heroine is to want each other to the point of no-return, in spite of each and every obstacle that stands in their way. For me, dragging on the lie for just a tad too long didn’t seem to sit that well.

Sam’s character was one I fell instantly in love with. He is gorgeous looking, cynical as they come and has that growling thing down to a fine art which had my insides going on red alert every single time. Though he is a bit older than the usual heroes you encounter in these types of romances, for me his character worked well in the story. With his background and expertise as a soldier, Sam proves to be a hero worthy of the various sighing sessions that I indulged in whilst reading Forever.

Bernadette was an okay heroine for me. There were times I loved her for wanting to comfort Sam even though he seems like the last man on Earth who would want any sort of comfort she might have to offer. And then there were times I wanted to scream in frustration because she continued with the facade of being a Nun when it was obvious that misleading a man who confesses to being tired of women’s manipulations and lies would hardly prove to be the best way to go about winning the said man’s affections. However, in the end, it all seemed to work out. I loved how Sam goes after Bernadette in the end lending this romance a pretty good ending.

The one thing that I absolutely loved was the banter between the characters. I found myself smiling through a lot of their conversations, at one time eliciting the question from my husband why was I smiling so much! I loved how Sam’s teasing side came into play with Bernadette, plain evidence of his obvious affection and growing feelings towards her though the story is told almost 99% of the time from Bernadette’s point of view.

Since I loved Sam’s character so much, and because I loved how everything turned out in the end, I am willing to forgive the lapse in what happened towards the latter part of the story and rate this a great read, recommended for fans of jungle-trek themed romances featuring a tortured & cynical hero who falls like a ton of bricks for the right woman!

Favorite Quotes

She would remember that voice as long as she lived, Bernadette thought. It was low and slightly harsh, as if he was hoarse from yelling at the top of his lungs all day. Yet there was a deep resonance to it, as well. It seemed to come from the soles of his feet, rumbling up through that long, tough-looking body and somehow being muted by the time it reached his throat. No, she revised the whimsical reflection; not muted, but tamed a little, civilised for the benefit of those who might hear it.

Their conversation was limited to monosyllables, few and far between, and either consciously or unconsciously   spoken in French. The language should have sounded clumsy or discordant when spoken in Forrester’s normal growl, but it didn’t. Instead, his terse questions and muttered comments came out sounding like impatient love words, deliciously sexy; as if the engine he was working on was a temperamental woman whose pretence at reluctance might irritate him, but for whom he would play the game because of the reward he knew he’d receive at the end of it.

‘Does this ring any bells?’ he murmured against her lips.
‘I——-‘
Whatever else she’d been about to say was lost as he kissed her again. His gentleness took her by surprise, and without being fully aware that she was doing it she started kissing him back, just as gently.
His hand curved to fit her waist as he murmured something unintelligible, his long fingers sliding with masterful confidence to her ribcage.

‘God, I want you,’ he breathed, and Bernadette’s throat closed, trapping her breath, while every last ounce of strength drained out of her and left her with knees turned suddenly to rubber.
‘I’ve never said that to a nun before,’ he mused wryly. ‘But then I’ve never met a nun like you. I doubt anyone has. What business has a woman Like you got being a nun, for the love of God!’

He released something elemental in her, some primitive force she hadn’t even been aware of until he came along. It was frightening, in a way, but it was also exhilarating and incredibly exciting. And the jungle, steamy and frought with hidden dangers, seemed the perfect setting for their coming together.

He moaned her name against her lips, and then at her temple, and her closed eyes. It seemed to be all he could say, the only word he knew. She remembered how she’d once been incensed by his lazy, mocking use of that butchered form of Bernadette, and decided she had been a pathetic little idiot.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Rendezvous with Revenge by Miranda Lee

Format: E-bookrendezvouswithrevenge
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Presents, #1967
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Ethan Grant
Heroine: Abigail Rose-Maree Richmond
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 15, 2011
Started On: September 24, 2011
Finished On: September 24, 2011

After I read my last Miranda Lee, I found myself in a tizzy to find out more books by the author that might deliver the sort of stories that I fondly seem to recall having read from her even now. So, as usual, I found myself trolling Amazon to find what the all-knower-of-books had to recommend from Miranda Lee and found myself intrigued enough to buy myself a copy Rendezvous with Revenge. 

An orthopaedic surgeon in his thirties, Dr. Ethan Grant is a man cynical and weary of women who presume to show only one side of their nature, hiding their true form until it is too late to turn away from the inevitable disaster that follows; even when Ethan takes care to make things as casual in his relationships as possible. Dedicated to his profession above everything else, Ethan is the uber controlled type of hero that just makes the reader want to ruffle his feathers a bit, just to see what makes him tick!

25 year old Abigail Rose-Maree Richmond (Abby) has a sour viewpoint of anything to do with romance, love and happily ever after after her first and ex-boyfriend left her in a lurch that she would never ever forget. Determined to make it by herself, Abby juggles two jobs one of which is acting as Ethan’s secretary on each Friday of the week.

Six months on since she started working for the eye-catching Dr. Ethan Grant, Abby finds herrself between a rock and a hard place when Ethan issues her with an offer she knows she should say no to, but her heart and other baser emotions wants to say “Oh, hell yes!” to. When circumstances out of here control finds Abby saying yes to attending the medical conference acting as Ethan’s current beau, Abby finds herself wanting to throw caution to the wind and take a flying leap into Ethan’s arms to experience the fire that smolders in Ethan’s otherwise shuttered expression.

When Abby clues in on the real reason behind Ethan’s facade of taking her along as his girlfriend, Abby becomes more determined than ever to do everything in her power to eliminate each and every single memory that Ethan has of his ex-fiance, even if it means breaking her heart in the process.

While the first half of the book worked for me brilliantly, it was the second half of the book that I had a huge problem with. I was left bewildered with the abrupt change in the tone set for the second half of the book, the first half of which was spent with Ethan barely hinting at being attracted towards Abby. But lo and behold, without any hint whatsoever, Ethan turned into this cloying and sweet man that just made my head spin around, and not in a good way.

One aspect of this book that I loved; Miranda always knows how to deliver on the raw passion and desire that she generates between her heroes and heroines. And with Ethan and Abby she managed to do just that without being overly explicit which just made my senses hum.

I didn’t overly much like the ending. Though I was happy with the fact that both Ethan and Abby conversed like rational adults and told each other the stuff that was hanging between them that could have really caused serious conflicts between them, I couldn’t totally accept Ethan’s change of heart for what it was to be. All the proclamations of love towards the end just felt false to me. If the ending had been different, as in the tone of the novel had not changed so abruptly halfway through the book, this could have ended up being a great read. 

Though not what I expected, I would still classify Rendezvous with Revenge as a good read, a choice for a light read in between those heavy reads that requires all your brain cells to be on red alert.

Momentous Scenes: The moment Abby makes Ethan lose his legendary control during their first blazing sexual encounter. Shivers of the good kind hummed right through me!

Favorite Quotes

Her actions were instinctive—her hands reaching up to run feverishly over his stiffly held shoulders, then up his corded neck towards his suddenly taut face muscles. His mouth gasped open when she began to trace his lips boldly with her fingers. She didn’t hesitate, daringly inserting them into his mouth, sliding them back and forth along his wet tongue in an echo of what his body was doing inside hers.
‘Ethan,’ she moaned in her mad passion for him. ‘Oh, Ethan…’
He froze for a second, then shuddered violently, a raw, animal sound punched from his lungs.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo 

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: How a Cowboy Stole Her Heart by Donna Alward

Format: E-bookhowacowboystoleherheart
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Romance, #4270
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Clay Gregory
Heroine: Megan Briggs
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 1, 2011
Started On: September 21, 2011
Finished On: September 22, 2011

I have identified with the fact that Donna Alward writes romances that practically seeps with bittersweet emotions until towards the very end which of course delivers the reader with a happily ever after that is that much sweeter because of the fact. Though not highly sensual in nature, Donna Alward still manages to deliver sexual tension of the toe curling variety amidst all the deeper and messy emotions she makes her characters confront, and that is one reason why I would continue to read her books.

How a Cowboy Stole Her Heart is deceptive in the way its title and blurb are presented. Deceptive I say because I delved into the story expecting a light and fluffy read which would make me feel on top of the world towards the end. However, from page one, you learn that Megan Briggs (Meg) is a survivor of breast cancer, having had one of her breasts removed because of the ravaging disease. She had left her hometown in Larch Valley behind to pursue her treatment and a year on, she is back home determined that she would put away her silly dreams that features her rugged and sexy cowboy neighbor who happens to be her brother’s best friend.

The last time Clay Gregory had talked to Meg it had ended up in a huge verbal confrontation that had concluded in them going their separate ways; Meg for her treatment and Clay to resume his day-to-day life unable to face the fact that someone he cares deeply about has to go through the very same thing that had killed his father and torn his family apart. Clay is a man who holds true to his belief that love and marriage are facets of life better left untouched and is determined that none of that would ever have a place in his life.

When Clay encounters a recovered Meg, she is so much different from the sweet woman he remembers. This Meg stares at him with eyes full of fire, defiance and the will to live her life on her terms stamped all over her face. And  though Clay feels small stirrings of something akin to desire for Meg the stubborn little chit who had always stuck like glue to him when he was growing up, Clay has no intention of acting on any of those feelings that makes him squirm, that is until Meg does a number on him at his aunt Stacy’s wedding which has Clay rapidly reaching out for his crumbling iron-clad control.

Though Meg tries to crush the tendrils of hope that unfurl whenever she is around Clay, the constant misunderstandings that leap out due to their different attitudes towards life and the stuff that scares them both makes it inevitable that a relationship between herself and Clay would never survive the many a tough times that may come ahead. But with Clay equally determined to prove otherwise, it is a battle of wills these two embark upon which makes their ultimate surrender that much more meaningful.

I have to admit that even though there were parts of the story that worked for me such as the tendrils of sexual tension between Meg and Clay that was delicious and heady as they come, to the side characters such as Jen and Tara who all seem to have quite interesting stories of their own to tell, there were certain elements within the story that didn’t quite make the cut for me. I didn’t quite warm up to either Clay or Meg though there are bits and pieces in their characters that makes them endearing and appealing at times. I can’t quite put my finger on why it was so with Clay but with Meg it was the way she wanted to prevent anything from happening between her and Clay because she didn’t want to put Clay through the emotional turmoil of a remission of the cancer which is always a possibility with cancer survivors. The way she makes the decision for Clay without even contemplating the rapidly changing feelings between them didn’t seem to sit with me quite that well.

Even then, I found myself pulled in with the constant whirlwind of emotions that courses through Meg as she tries and walks ahead into a future that is an uncertain one. But her determination and courage through it all just amazed me and I was rooting for her all the way through those moments. Light hearted and fluffy is certainly not what this romance is about, but engrossing and a good deal of emotion it certainly delivers and I would recommend this one for fans of Donna Alward.

Momentous Scenes

  • The moment Clay lays eyes on the altogether made over Meg whose beauty and lure at that moment just shocks him to the very core! *Sigh!*
  • The first kiss. Sizzling hot!

Favorite Quotes

She unlocked the door, but before she could turn the knob his hand covered hers. She turned and froze.
“Clay,” she warned, but it was too late.
His arm came around her, lifted her feet clear off the floor as he kissed her: hot, demanding, and all encompassing.
His mouth was soft, hot and devastating. Megan let the shock ripple deliciously through her as she clutched his shoulders. There was a small thunk as the house key dropped to the step. Even through the layers of his tuxedo and her coat Meg felt the hardness of his body against her.

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: The Dragon and the Pearl by Jeannie Lin

thedragonandthepearl

Format: E-book
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Harlequin Historical Publisher Series
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Li Tao
Heroine: Ling Suin
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: September 21, 2011
Started On: September 20, 2011
Finished On: September 20, 2011

No true fan of romance can read Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin and escape without wanting to find out more about General Li Tao. And Jeannie Lin certainly doesn’t disappoint fans of her ultra unique historical romances set in the Tang Dynasty, China with this installment. Towards the end of my review for Butterfly Swords I mentioned my utter and at times reluctant fascination with Li Tao who served to be at first the villian and then somehow turned the tables around on me. Little did I know that Li Tao’s character was one that intrigued the author herself so much that she just had to write his story, a fact for which I am eternally grateful.

It is 759 AD and a period of political upheaval in China during which time the military governors known as the jiedushi, commanded their own regional forces independent of the Emperor’s army. It is during this period of turmoil that Lady Ling Suin, an accomplished courtesan who had been favored by the previous emperor finds herself being taken away from her home by none other than one of the most feared generals in China, General Li Tao.

Li Tao’s only intention at first is to remove her from harm’s way though he cannot deny the lure of her beauty anymore than he can deny the rising sun. Though every elegant move on Ling Suin’s part speaks of seduction and half truths that hides the real woman inside, Li Tao cannot help but be ensnared by the desire that races through him for a woman who could prove to be as lethal as that a sword plunged deep into his heart.

Both Li Tao and Ling Suin’s characters are shaped up by less than ideal childhoods, one having grown up on the streets fending for himself whilst the other had been bartered off for a pretty coin for the family’s next meal. Being the Emperor’s concubine for fifteen years meant that Ling Suin was resigned to a life of loneliness until death comes calling. But in Li Tao’s embrace, Ling Suin finds a man who would bend heaven and earth for the taste of a woman whose legend precedes her, the reality of it all when it comes to light manages to not only send Li Tao but the reader as well into a tailspin.

Once again, I am rendered speechless by Jeannie Lin’s ability to create such a riveting and poignant story, her ability to create strong and endearing characters that just demands nothing less but one’s total surrender as the reader. The way Jeannie spins her story weaving one word with another to create sheer magic that just pulls in the reader amazes me. And the tone she sets throughout is so in tune with the time period and the culture of a race shrouded in so much mystery that one cannot help but want to learn more.

Li Tao is a wonderful hero. The silent, tattooed, merciless assassin variety that I can sit around and dream about all day long. A man who thinks honor is no part of him when he wears it like his own skin, inseparable from the essence of who he is. His reluctant fascination with Ling Sui which penetrates through the emptiness that shrouds his heart is one of the most fascinating aspects of the story, his interactions with Ling Suin an intricately woven dance that serves many a time as the most sensual forms of foreplay on which Jeannie certainly delivers.

Ling Suin serves to be his exact opposite, and yet the similarities between them astounds as well as you read along. Having being forced to use her wits, her beauty and seductive viles for so long, Ling Suin at first knows not what to expect from a man who surrounds himself with men of the highest calibre, loyal to the bone and yet remains a lone wolf who doesn’t even realize the fact. Even though every survival instinct within her tells her to step away and leave Li Tao’s alluring form behind, she cannot help but yearn fiercely for the emotions that courses through her whenever Li Tao takes her in his arms. And it is not long before their arrangement brings forth emotions and feelings neither expects to feel for the other and it is a wonderful, wonderful way to pass the time by being a part of their journey towards happily ever after.

I loved how Li Tao and Ling Suin’s pasts are shared with the reader throughout, making both of them more appealing with each flashback. The sensuality and sexual tension between Li Tao and Ling Suin is off the charts hot, and underneath all that taut sensuality, Jeannie manages to tell a tale of political treachery and war not unlike what we see in the world today.

If you haven’t already read a Jeannie Lin book, you should definitely remedy the fact, especially if you are a fan of historical romances in exotic and unusual settings. This is as exotic and unusual as they come and one thing is for sure; none can fault Jeannie’s way with the words that captures you right from the very start. And I would recommend that if you are planning on reading The Dragon and the Pearl, better start off with The Butterfly Swords; just to embrace and enjoy the full impact of Li Tao’s character, which otherwise you might miss out on!

Truly remarkable and utterly fascinating, this one makes a beeline towards my favorites shelf for 2011.

Favorite Quotes

Li Tao had caught a single glimpse of her the first time he had been to the palace. The hunger that had gripped him had been immediate and all-consuming. He had been a young man then and had hungered for many things: acclaim, respect and power. The sight of her now, more than a decade later, stirred nothing but a faint echo of that forgotten desire.

She expected the descent of his mouth, but never would have anticipated the gentleness of the kiss. Her lips parted as his explored hers. His fingertips lifted to her cheek in an undemanding, but undeniably possessive caress. She nearly allowed her eyes to fall closed. She almost yielded against the heat and pressure and the slow stir of his mouth. Instead she dug her nails sharply into the flesh of her palms. She fastened her eyes on to his, permitting the kiss, but never surrendering.

She played with her eyes closed. He closed his own eyes, joining her in the darkness. She had said the song depicted a battle, but nothing of the sort came to mind, no lofty images of horses and banners waving or battalions clashing over hills. Only darkness and a pure sound that filled him, creeping into spaces he hadn’t known were empty.

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Welcome Home, Cowboy by Karen Templeton

Format: E-bookwelcomehomecowboy
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Wed in the West, Book 4
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Cash Cochran
Heroine: Emma Manning
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 1 2010
Started On: August 18, 2011
Finished On: August 18, 2011

Welcome Home, Cowboy by Karen Templeton is a romance that has been making itself known in my trolling sessions for books to be added to my to-be-read mountain of books. What propelled me to stop everything I was doing and completely immerse myself in this book was the fact that this one seems to have got great reviews and of course being a RITA award winner of 2011 just sealed the deal for me.

Cash Cochran returns home to Tierra Rosa almost 20 years after he leaves home and his abusive father behind. A country musician by profession, Cash is a man with enough torturedness in his soul that practically bleeds out of him when he comes face to face with his childhood home, now owned by his childhood best friend Lee Manning. Cash hopes to hash things out with Lee only to find his pregnant and widowed wife Emma holding the fort with two kids and a grandmother in law with her brood of cats, that reaches into something deep inside of Cash that he has no knowledge of and squeezes it tight until he can’t help but yearn for things better left unsaid.

From the moment Emma lays her eyes on Cash, all her emotions clamor to give him the comfort and peace that he seems to be in such dire need of. And when Cash decides to help out at the farm intending to sort out how he feels with Emma’s narration of events that completely turns upside down what he has believed all his life, Emma knows that she and her brood are in deep trouble if Cash’s tender nature that emerges is anything to judge him by.

As the daily grind of the farm life brings them closer, both Emma and Cash realize that there is much more at stake than just their hearts alone and with Cash clamoring to leave as soon as Emma is able to get a handle on things after giving birth, Emma knows that there is no point in asking him to stay. It is when Cash’s past beckons him and takes him away that Cash realizes the true meaning of the word home as he finds that and so much more with Emma and her family.

I loved the emotion that practically seeped through the pages right from the very start. Even the first couple of chapters felt like an emotional minefield and that sets the tone of the story till the very end. But through it all, Karen still manages to give the reader the beauty that is in loving and in hoping for better things in life as Cash seems to finally find in Emma and her family.

One of the things that struck me (in a good way of course) was how different Karen’s voice is from most of the romance authors. She brings to light different quirks about her characters and their backgrounds without going into a deep narration of sorts but rather places an interesting hint here and there which allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions which in turn makes the story that much more riveting and fun. 

There is no character that you wouldn’t fall in love with if you pick up Welcome Home, Cowboy. From Cash with his silver eyes that tries to hide his inner turmoil and pain to Emma who can’t help but want to reach deep inside of Cash and fix things for him to Emma’s adorable children Hunter and Zoey, whose point of view in the story just made me smile the entire time to the very quirky character we find in Grandmother Annie, the whole story is filled with well rounded characters that just totally invaded my heart and laid siege on it right from beginning.

And last but not the least, a special mention has to be made of Emma’s character that just invites a man to want her for herself. She is beautiful inside and out, entirely comfortable with who she is and the best thing about her is her sense of hope and optimism that everything will turn out to be alright in the end. The way she loves so wholeheartedly is the best thing about Emma and she is definitely ending up as a favorite heroine of mine.

Welcome Home, Cowboy is a romance everyone ought to read, just to experience the pull on the emotions that this one does so effectively.

Highly recommended!

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Rush of Pleasure by Rhyannon Byrd

Format: E-bookrushofpleasure
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Primal Instincts, Book 8
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Hero: Noah David Winston
Heroine: Willow Broussard
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: July 26, 2011
Started On: July 27, 2011
Finished On: July 29, 2011

The eighth and final book in the Primal Instincts series was a definite hit with me. Combining the fantastic paranormal world that is so easy to get to know with mind numbing and page scorching passion to light up the entire country for eons to come, Noah and Willow definitely earned their rightful place as one of my favorite couples from the series.

Noah David Winston is part Casus, thanks to his mother’s line of family. Noah remains vulnerable to the fact that a stray Casus shade who has made its way into this world can make use of his body to roam the Earth. With the added threat of the Casus leader actively seeking Noah as the most probable candidate for his inhabitation and because Noah had nearly managed to kill off Anthony Calder during the last bloody battle that was waged between the Watchmen and the Casus, Noah knows that the fate of all species of the world rests in the decoding the spell that is bound to kill anything with pure unadulterated evil lurking within its very soul.

Decoding the spell means revisiting his hometown Sacred in Louisiana, where he hasn’t set foot since that fateful night twelve years back. His desire for Willow Broussard even at the tender age of nineteen had surpassed anything Noah has ever felt since then. When Noah seeks out Jessie, Willow’s aunt whose powerful spells is the stuff legends are made of, Noah doesn’t expect a run in with the woman who makes all his senses go on red alert just with her mere presence.

Willow would rather gnaw off her arm than admit that seeing the gorgeous Noah Winston in her own backyard once again sets all her senses afire with the need to possess and be possessed by the man who haunts her dreams even twelve years on. Now a private investigator for the ancient clans who still walk the Earth, Willow is strong, sexy and capable in her own right, a fact that drives Noah completely out of his mind when the desire he feels for Willow threatens to obliterate the very seriousness of the mission he has embarked upon.

Forced to work together by circumstance, the barriers that each had built in the other’s absence starts to crumble with each searing glance and mind numbing kiss exchanged. As the truth about what is actually required to perform the spell comes to light, Noah knows that he is about to embark upon a battle that could mean the end of life as he knows it, a life he would gladly give up if it means keeping Willow safe. As the dead body count continues to grow, Willow joins hands with the man to whom her heart will belong to now and forever, to fight the battle that might cost her the love of her life even before she can confess the little fact to him.

Rush of Pleasure is a fitting end to a series that has saw me through highly enjoyable paranormal reads with the tinge of red hot passion to make things that much more interesting. Noah Weston is a dangerous man to let into your heart because he demands no less than complete and utter surrender of every emotion that you’ve got to give. His strength and vulnerability coupled with his blatant need for the woman he loves is a lethal combination that had me hyperventilating one minute and swooning into a puddle of goo the next.

Willow is the perfect heroine for Noah with her strong persona that makes her the ultimate candidate to love and cherish Noah and even stand firm in what she believes in when its for the good of their relationship. Noah might not overly much like the fact that his Willow is kick-ass heroine material that puts her on the path of danger every now and then, but that’s what at the end of the day makes these two such a well matched couple in bed and out of it.

The scenes of combustive passion definitely delivered on the sexual tension that practically leaps out of the pages and I loved every single second of it! Explosive in all the ways that counts, Rush of Pleasure is a novel not to be missed for fans of the series as well as fans of paranormal romances.

The one thing that I can say is, you don’t need to have read the previous books to enjoy this one as Rhyannon makes it so darn easy for you to find your rhythm in her world of ancient clans. But, I would still urge you to read the other books; just to enjoy the wild and wicked ride that only Rhyannon can take you on in her Primal Instinct series.

I feet a bit sad knowing that this is the end of a series that I have enjoyed immensely throughout the last 2 years or so. But knowing that the sexy and deadly Ashe Granger from the series gets his story in a standalone novel this coming April has got me pacified somewhat, and I await eagerly for its release. And I would so love to read Damon MacCaven the demon’s story! Just saying.

Favorite Quotes

She didn’t fight him, but her mouth had been shocked into stillness beneath his—passive, simply taking, accepting—and he wanted her hunger. Wanted the bite of her nails and her mind-blowing passion.
He wanted her wild for him.
“Goddamn it, kiss me back,” he snarled, holding the side of her face in his hand. She moaned, tilting her head, fitting her mouth more closely to his. “Please,” he gasped against her silky lips, his voice cracking as he begged her…pleading.
“Kiss me back, Will.”
And then he felt the soft, sweet stroke of her tongue, and his body shuddered violently in response to that delicate, seeking touch. Within seconds, the kiss became something explicitly carnal, devastating in its power.

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Wife, Mother … Lover? by Sally Tyler Hayes

Format: E-bookwifemotherlover
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Silhouette Intimate Moments, #818
Publisher: Silhouette Books
Hero: Mitch McCarthy
Heroine: Leanne Hathaway
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 1, 1997
Started On: July 26, 2011
Finished On: July 27, 2011

Thanks to the recommendation from my friend Saly over at Goodreads, I had the immense joy of reading and enjoying this Silhouette Intimate Moments novel which I may never have come across otherwise. Throw in a grieving widowed hero who is struggling with the demands of being a single father to twins and the estranged sister-in-law who comes to the rescue at the most unlikely hour; his dead wife’s sister who makes him feel again and I was in romance heaven with this little goodie which I adored right from the start.

32 year old Mitch McCarthy is a cop and single father to 16 months old twins Timmy and Teddy, struggling to make everything work with his demanding job requiring more of him than he is capable of giving whilst raising two active boys which is a full time job in itself. Nearly at the breaking point from being torn apart by the continuous conflicting demands, Mitch is about to give into his manipulative mother-in-law’s demands and give up the twins to his in-laws care when Kelly’s elder sister Leanne Hathaway comes to his rescue.

Same age as Mitch, Leanne had left home 12 years back and had rarely come for visits in between. A nature and exotic places photographer for travel and nature magazines, Leanne’s job allows her to travel all over the world and to immerse herself in work to the point that she can forget the pain that resides deep inside of her because of the rift that has been caused by her step mother in her family.

When Leanne receives a letter from her pregnant sister Kelly whilst in the middle of a Nepali jungle, Leanne finds out that she has received the letter a trifle bit too late for Kelly. When 16 months later Leanne receives the news that her brother-in-law Mitch is about to give up Kelly’s babies, despite all her misgivings about facing her family and Mitch himself, Leanne rushes back home to rescue Timmy and Teddy from falling into her step mother’s care.

Hostility and anger at Leanne is what Mitch feels at first, but knowing his precarious position in taking care of the twins, Mitch is forced to accept Leanne’s help and is more than surprised when he finds the vulnerability that lies beneath what Mitch has perceived to be Leanne’s cold and aloof nature. When Leanne’s step mother forces Mitch’s hand in asking Leanne’s hand in marriage, the one thing Mitch never expects is for Leanne to worm her way into his heart, to heal the big hole that has resided in it for the past 16 months and for her to make him fall in love again.

Wife, Mother … Lover? is a beautiful romance, one that is filled with intense moments of body tingling passion, heartwarming romance and two beautiful kids that would make anyone melt on the inside. Mitch is definitely a swoon-worthy hero that touched a place deep inside of my heart and I loved him for everything he is and the way that he understands Leanne unlike any other. And Leanne is a heroine who is wonderful in her own right, in the way that she completely embraces the fact that she has fallen for her sister’s husband even hounded by the guilt that she feels every day.

What I loved most about this book was the fact that both Mitch and Leanne weren’t afraid to talk about their emotions, communication being the key to the success of their burgeoning relationship. They don’t let each other spend hours in agony over a misunderstanding, but rather face their guilt and fears over their relationship together which makes them that much stronger as a couple.

A happily ever after that is truly deserving is what this novel was all about and I highly recommend this one to fans of romances.

Favorite Quotes

His taste was sweet and sinful and absolutely forbidden. Quite easily, she could become addicted to it. He pushed forward until her back was firmly against the cabinets, and then held her there with his body pressed intimately to hers. Desire surged through her and him. There was no mistaking the feel of it.
He wanted her. Terribly, it seemed. All from just a kiss.
His mouth opened more fully over hers, his kiss bordering on desperation now. And for a moment, the world seemed just about perfect.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: Only Mine by Susan Mallery

Format: E-book
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Series: Fool’s Gold, Book 4
Hero: Finn Andersson
Heroine: Dakota Hendrix
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 26, 2011
Started On: July 23, 2011
Finished On: July 24, 2011

If not for a request for review from Little Bird Publicity I would most probably have passed up on reading and acquainting myself with the wonderful and wholesome world that Susan Mallery seems to have created so well in her Fool’s Gold series. As I glided along into the 4th book of the series with no prior introduction into the first 3 books, I didn’t feel unwelcome but rather felt that I was amongst old friends whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, familiar and soothing in its own right that had me falling gently in love as I read along.

28 year old Dakota Hendrix is a triplet, and comes from a family of six siblings, her family being one of the first generation families in Fool’s Gold, California. Fool’s Gold is a town that has shot to fame after a student doing her thesis on human geography had discovered the fact that in Fool’s Gold there is a serious lack of men when both sexes are compared in numbers.

A PHD holder who specializes in childhood development, Dakota has no idea why she is entrusted with the job of looking out for the interests of the citizens of Fool’s Gold in the project undertaken by Hollywood’s attempt to make money out of their town’s lack of men.

When Finn Andersson with his black hair and piercing blue eyes storms into the scene demanding that his younger twin brothers Sasha and Stephen who have signed up to be part of the reality show True Love or Fool’s Gold be released from the show, Dakota has no idea that Finn would be the man to stir up her juices and get her to notice the attention her inactive libido seems to be dishing out to the sexy stranger.

Finn who hails from South Salmon, Alaska is determined that his younger brothers would not ruin their lives by setting out on a fool’s errand. Finn is a man who takes his responsibilities very seriously, some might say a bit too seriously considering the fact that he had had to grow up overnight to take care of his 13 year old younger brothers when his parents had died in a plane crash 8 years back.

When Finn realizes that the twins won’t budge from where they stand, he does the next best thing a protective older brother would do; decide to stay around in Fool’s Gold to keep an eye on them until they realize the error of their ways. However, things rarely have a way of turning out as one plans them and this is exactly what happens when Finn finds himself looking forward to staying around in Fool’s Gold, thanks to the number Dakota plays on his baser and more tender emotions.

Only Mine is not just the story of how Finn and Dakota falls in love and finds their happily ever after. Rather, its a story that intrinsically weaves together the beauty that is small town life, the wonderful togetherness one finds inside the warm circle of loving family members and friends and the realization of the hopes of a woman who dreams of holding a child that belongs to her in all the ways. It is a story that tells the struggle of a woman who wants to stand up for herself and finds love and the strength to do so in the most unexpected of places. And last of all, Only Mine shows us the beauty of a relationship that is based on sharing the burdens of life together, and that love does triumph over every other emotion in the end.

I loved a lot of things about Only Mine. First of all the soothing feel to the story that unfolded was truly appreciated. True, there were emotionally charged moments and times where I was in dire need of a tall glass of iced water to quench the heat coursing through me. But ultimately, the one thing that does shine through is the fact that Only Mine is a novel that soothes and provokes your emotions at the same time, making you feel like you are snuggled up in bed on a rainy day with a warm cup of tea right by your side.

All the characters in this story, whether they were around for the long haul or just popped up in between were endearing in their own rights and lent the story the charm that it fully exudes in spades. The secondary story of the unexpected love between Stephen and the 9 years older Aurelia certainly made things more interesting. The details and the emotions that the author fully describes about the heroine’s attempts at overcoming the limitations that PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease) imposes on her life and the way she wins over them hit close to home as I am someone who suffers from the same condition.

At times funny, charming and endearing, Only Mine is a novel recommended for those who are fans of Susan Mallery; those that love a soothing, feel-good romance with in-depth characterization and fans of the Fool’s Gold series.

Favorite Quotes

Dakota touched her (mother’s) arm. “I’m dealing. Most days it’s okay. Sometimes it’s hard to get out of bed. Maybe if I’d been in a relationship, I wouldn’t have felt so unlovable.”
“You’re not unlovable. You’re beautiful and smart and fun to be with. Any man would be lucky to have you.”
That’s what I tell myself. Apparently the entire gender is blind and stupid.”

She welcomed him, wrapping her legs around his hips and drawing him closer. Usually she closed her eyes, but this time she kept them open, watching him watch her.
They were connected. She felt what he felt, knew his anticipation, experienced the tension. As he got closer, so did she. The need for more grew until there was nothing to do but come together.
She clung to him as he held on to her. The night closed around them until it seemed as if they had always been together and that they could never ever be apart.

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

amazingread

CONTEST!!!!!

only-mine-all-mine-header.jpg

Susan Mallery is holding a contest up on her website from 1st August till the 1st of September 2011 entitled “ONLY MINE … All Mine”.

The contest will be open to all members of Susan’s website who sign-up for a chance to win. It will begin August 1st and will end September 1st, 2011.  Once the contest has ended one lucky winner will be randomly drawn. The one lucky winner will receive a signed “exclusive first look” at Susan’s new Fool’s Gold Christmas e-novella (so fresh it doesn’t even have a title yet) and a man shortage t-shirt.

Signing up is so easy. Just visit: http://www.susanmallery.com/members/contest.php!