Category / Suspense

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Deadly Obsession by Katie Reus

Format: E-bookdeadlyobsession
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Carina Press
Series: Standalone
Hero: Braden Donnelly
Heroine: Lilly Carmichael
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: August 15, 2011
Started On: August 11, 2011
Finished On: August 12, 2011

Deadly Obsession by Katie Reus is my first taste of her work and I think I am going to end up becoming an instant fan if what she can deliver with the rest of her stories is as good as this one turned out to be. Deadly Obsession is a romantic suspense that is a trifle bit dark with some vivid images of violence that makes this book exceptional in terms of the realistic edge the story delivers.

Deadly Obsession is set in the small town of Hudson Bay where a vicious and sadistic serial killer has been targeting victims too close to comfort to the town’s sheriff Braden Donnelly. Braden’s entire family apart from his grandmother had all been killed in a plane crash three years back the time around which he had quit the Marines and returned home, tired of seeing the face of death each and every day. Braden has a feeling that the killer is trying to send a message across to him though he has no idea who in his town would hold that much of a grudge against him.

Lilly Carmichael left her hometown ten years back and never looked back. An undercover agent for NSA, Lilly suffers from PTSD after a horrific incident in Africa that still plagues her with vivid nightmares. Lilly had left behind her Aunt Debra and her first boyfriend Braden who had been her first everything when she had left town. Though relations between her and her aunt who had brought her up since she was five years old had remained solid, Braden and Lilly had parted on bad terms and Lilly knows that Braden had been as much heartbroken as she had been when she left him behind. Guarding the secret of the actual reason why she had fled town seems to be the only way she can keep the now much more mature and lethal version of Braden whose intense stare still betrays the need he feels for her.

Braden feels suckerpunched by the intense want that courses through him as he sees Lilly for the first time in ten years. All his relationships since then had never even come close to making him feel even half as much of what he feels for Lilly though Braden would rather die than admit the fact to the woman who has continued to haunt his dreams even from afar.

It is Aunt Debra’s death that brings Lilly back home, a death that was staged by the killer who has every intention of wreaking havoc on Lilly and Braden’s emotions and lives, a fact he drives home by the sheer number of murders that he commits within such a short span of time. With the clock ticking towards an end that Braden would not have Lilly end up as the victim, both Lilly and Braden remain unaware until towards the very end just how personal and how close to home the threat against them emerges from.

Deadly Obsession turned out to be a fantastic read that held my undivided attention from page 1. There was never a dull moment nor a minute when I wished the story would continue on a different track and speed than with the one it was proceeding. Braden is such a sexy, compelling and intense hero that one cannot help but be drawn towards him even from the very first encounter. Hiding in his heart a wealth of pain because of all the loved ones he had lost, Braden is not at all ready to make himself vulnerable yet again to the only woman who still manages to make his heart beat faster by her mere presence. Its his protective nature without needless coddling and his take-charge attitude when it comes to the matters of the heart that lodged him permanently in my heart as I practically devoured this book.

Lilly was a heroine I reserved my judgement on until the very last minute, until the story brought to light exactly why she had left the way she did ten years back. Even before that, I couldn’t help but admire her courage and need to dig deeper to find out who was targeting innocent women in her hometown in the killer’s quest to make Lilly and Braden squirm in utter helplessness as the body count continues to grow.

All the side characters in the novel brought that something extra into the story that always makes a book that much more pleasing to lose oneself in and worthy of a mention is the quirky character of Hailey Banks, the county coroner. If Katie Reus were ever to continue this as a series, I would dearly love to see her story come out.

Final Verdict: Dark and edgy with the bite of red hot passion sizzling through the pages, Deadly Obsession is a romantic suspense that delivers on all counts.

Favorite Quotes

His masculine scent and strong embrace definitely hadn’t changed. He murmured soothing words against her hair and she let herself relax. When his familiar male scent washed over her with startling intensity, she cursed her traitorous body. Her nipples tightened against her bra when he stroked a soft hand down her spine. With one gentle touch her dormant libido flared to life.

When he dipped his head toward her breasts, she arched her back, giving him better access. In measured movements, he licked and laved one breast while palming the other. His calloused palm over her sensitive skin sent erotic vibrations to all her nerve endings.
This was a side to him she’d never seen. His whole body shook with need and the dark look in his eyes was startling. Not that she was afraid he’d hurt her. He just looked…hungry.

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

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Midnight Sun by M. J. Fredrick

Format: E-book
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Self Published
Series: Standalone
Hero: Marcus Devlin
Heroine: Brylie Winston
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: June 6, 2011
Started On: August 7, 2011
Finished On: August 8, 2011

Midnight Sun is the latest contemporary romantic suspense release by M. J. Fredrick. Midnight Sun starts in a deceptively simple manner and lulls the reader into a false sense of security before the adventure aspect of the novel kick starts with a bang and refuses to let up until towards the very end. The story starts off with Brylie Winston leaving the hotel room in Hobart, Australia where she spends the night with a man for the first time in a year and half, always paying heed to the caution that rules her life until she meets the charming Marcus who manages to practically knock her proverbial socks off with his sheer charm and sexuality.

Come morning, Brylie more than regrets succumbing to Marcus’s well-played seduction which had sent her senses spiraling as she finds out that Marcus is none other than her boss and the youngest son of the Delvins who owns and operates the ice breaker turned cruise liner on which Brylie acts as head chef. For Marcus, the cruise trip to Antarctica is his way of saving face after his latest scandal and when he finds out that the red head who rocked his world the night before works for him, things start looking up for Marcus until he finds out that Brylie has no intention of indulging in a repeat performance.

However, Marcus is not one to give up and before long, Brylie finds her defenses crumbling in the face of Marcus’s true personality that comes to light as they spend time together. But before their purely sexual acquaintance can go any further, the cruise liner comes under attack by pirates who are willing to do anything to see that their demands are met. Its by pure luck that Marcus and Brylie manage to hide and outwit their captors until Marcus is forced to give himself up, sacrificing himself for the rest of the passengers on board for whom he feels responsible. Its the sheer bravery and quick thinking on both Brylie and Marcus’s part that eventually saves the day and not a minute too late at that.

Midnight Sun is a well rounded addition to M. J. Fredrick’s already impressive collection of romantic suspense novels. This one offers a hero who is not well versed in the art of defense and guns and the whole lot but still manages to think on his feet and tackle the problems they face, even though his family thinks of Marcus as someone who will never take responsibility seriously. Marcus suffers from “itchy-feet-syndrome” and it is only when it comes to Brylie and the hair raising couple of days that they go through that Marcus finds his anchor in life. It is the situation that both Brylie and Marcus finds themselves in that eventually creates the unbreakable bonds of intimacy which otherwise may not have happened.

Brylie is a trademark M. J. Fredrick heroine. Smart, capable, independent and yet vulnerable because of her past, Brylie is a heroine worth admiring as she on many occasions proves herself beyond capable in handling a chaotic situation with both feet planted firmly on the ground. Though Brylie tries hard not to fall for Marcus, she is no match for his arousing kisses and touches that at the same time serves as the healing balm to soothe her wounded heart and pride. And Marcus in turn finds in Brylie a reason to strive to be more and give love and commitment a shot in his otherwise sporadic existence.

Filled with adrenaline pumping moments and those sensually stirring scenes of passion that never fails to evoke all the right kind of emotions, Midnight Sun is recommended for those who love romantic suspense in unusual settings. And believe me, Antarctica is as unusual as it gets!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Guarding Suzannah by Norah Wilson

Format: E-bookguardingsuzannah
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: To Serve and Protect, Book 1
Hero: John Quigley
Heroine: Suzannah Phelps
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: August 14, 2010
Started On: August 6, 2011
Finished On: August 6, 2011

Guarding Suzannah by Norah Wilson is the 1st book in her To Serve and Protect Series. Suzannah Phelps is the beautiful and brilliant criminal defense attorney nicknamed the “Ice Princess” and “She-Rex” because of her ability to shred cops in witness stands. Her success rate at the courts comes with a price that sometimes leaves a feeling of discontentment deep within her rather than one of elation. Rich, sophisticated and the daughter of a judge who comes from a long line of judges, Suzannah is being stalked by an unknown assailant that scares her more than she is willing to let on.

Detective John Quigley of the St. Cloud Police Department knows deep in his gut that the sleek and beautiful Suzannah is so way out of his league that it isn’t even funny to think about. But John being the masochist he is cannot help but be drawn towards the woman who had made him sit up and take notice of her when he had being the one who had come up with the short end of the straw when placed in the witness stand and quizzed by none other than the woman herself. Though John knows that nothing much can come out of his fascination with a woman who barely seems to notice that he even exists, that doesn’t stop him from cluing in on Suzannah’s fear of a stalker that she refuses to report to the police.

With no way of protecting her unless Suzannah reports about her stalker to the police, John does the next best thing and proposes that he take on the job, pretending to be her boyfriend for the duration to keep the vicious stalker at bay. Suzannah is not the easiest woman to offer help to and John finds himself infuriated and aroused at the same time by a woman whose stubbornness makes him want to shake her and kiss her senseless.

Though Suzannah knows she is not the passionate type, she can’t help but be drawn to explore the coil of desire that slumbers and unfurls slowly deep inside of her when John makes no secret of how much he desires her and has no qualms about showing her just how passionate she can be in the arms of the right man for her. As their desire for each other reach new heights, so does the stalker up the stakes forcing John to pull out all the stops to draw out a mad man willing to do anything to make Suzannah suffer as he has.

Guarding Suzannah is my first taste of romantic suspense by Norah Wilson who wowed me by her paranormal vampire romance The Merzetti Effect which I reviewed sometime last month. Though Guarding Suzannah doesn’t make it to the 5-star mark for me, it still managed to keep me riveted on the passion that explodes between two people whom the rest of the world may deem unsuitable because of their differences and of course intrigued me enough to keep continually guessing on who the stalker could be. The twist towards the end certainly managed to surprise me, which is ALWAYS a good thing when it comes to romantic suspense.

John is such a great hero. Tender, possessive, protective and has that sexy vibe that makes a girl’s toes curl inward. Suzannah at first comes off perfectly as her “Ice Princess” persona which starts to shed layer by layer until we are left with a woman who yearns for the love of a man like John just like every other girl. Her gutsy nature coupled with her vulnerability won me over and if that didn’t do the job for me, then what Suzannah was willing to sacrifice towards the end for her love for John definitely sealed the deal for me.

Witty banter & toe-tingling passion with just the right amount of suspense thrown into make things interesting, Guarding Suzannah is a book for those who love romantic suspense that evolves slowly, but leaves you with a good buzz all around once you are done. And one of the best things about Guarding Suzannah for me was to read a romance between two people who bring no prior baggage into the relationship which was a refreshing change from the norm.

I am definitely getting myself the rest of the books in the series, the next one being Saving Grace which I am very much interested in reading as both the hero and heroine from Saving Grace have already appeared in Guarding Suzannah, enticing me all that much more to know their story. And I’ve just got to say this, I love me an author who gives a beautiful epilogue that ties up everything towards the end and Norah, you’ve definitely done that with Guarding Suzannah which makes me one happy chick all around!

Favorite Quotes

The look he shot was incredulous in the extreme. “You have a filing system for your shoes?”
She lifted her chin, daring him to make something of it. “I can see the concept of organization is a foreign one, Detective, but there’s nothing wrong with knowing what goes where. In fact, there can be some bonuses to being a little anal about this stuff.”

Her hand came up to touch his face and he was lost. Groaning, he went for her upturned mouth, covering it hotly.
She threw herself into the kiss. There was no other way to describe it. Even as he plundered that lush, bourbon-ripe mouth, she plundered right back, giving as good as she got. And all the while, her hands slid through his hair, shaping his skull, pulling him closer.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Don’t Look Back by M.J. Fredrick

Format: E-book
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Hero: Captain Gerard Delaney
Heroine: Dr. Olivia Olney
Sensuality: 3.5
Publication Date: August 12, 2010
Started On: July 13, 2011
Finished On: July 14, 2011

Don’t Look Back by M.J. Fredrick is going to be a hard book for me to review, not because I didn’t love the story that unfolded but rather because of just how much the story drew me in and wrapped its words around me, making me savor every emotion that it wrenched from me that I want to do this book the justice that  it deserves. Before I begin my review however, there are two things that I would like to thank the very wonderful M.J. Fredrick for. Number one being for the blog post that she published which drew my attention to this gem, and the second for being generous enough to give me a copy of this book which I appreciate from the bottom of my heart.

Don’t Look Back kicks off seven years prior to the start of the actual story when Dr. Olivia Olney is rescued by a team led by Captain Gerard Delaney from Special Forces who specializes in hostage recovery. Broken, battered, raped and barely alive, Olivia finds the strength to persevere and come out fighting by never letting go of the image of the tough blue-eyed soldier who arrived to her rescue when she had right about given up hope.

Seven years later, Olivia is a changed woman, the scars of the ordeal that she underwent which she carries with her every day. However, that doesn’t stop her from helping out the less fortunate souls who struggle to survive the depths of hell that is war riddled Africa, even if it means going back to the one place that brings back the nightmares of how she was captured and tortured at the hands of violent and vicious men.

When her best friend Jill gets taken as a hostage by the man who imprisoned Olivia and introduced her to the depths of hell, there is no stone that Olivia would leave unturned in her quest to rescue the one woman who stood by her through every single step of her recovery. When Olivia finds out that the soldier who has haunted her dreams since the night of her rescue is very much alive and living in exile in Spain, she doesn’t hesitate to pull out all the stops, even kicking Delaney where it hurts to get him to lead their rescue operation.

Delaney is a man who has been stripped bare of everything, a man with nothing left to lose who remains in hiding, fearing for the life of his son and his ex-wife whom he has left behind. Three years of merely existing comes to an end when the sexy and vibrant Olivia sashays into his life, opening up the wounds that have been quietly festering all this while. Olivia forces Delaney to confront his fear of failure and his reluctance to go back to a country that has already taken too much from him and left him high and dry.

Making their way to Amadan, a jungle-choked country with very poor roads begins their journey towards endless violence and danger which seems to lurke amidst every step they take. But the biggest threat comes not from the danger to each of their lives but rather that to their hearts when desire races like a raging inferno through both of them until there is no choice left but to surrender.

Combining sizzling sexual tension, toe-curling passion, heart pounding adventure and vicious war lords whose agendas change as swiftly as that of the colors of a chameleon, M.J. Fredrick earns herself 5 solid stars for penning such a fantastic romantic suspense that ALL fans of the genre must read. Bringing together two souls who have already seen the worst life can offer, but still has the courage to stand tall, both Delaney and Olivia are heartwarming and endearing characters that I fell in love with right from the very beginning.

In my opinion, the fact that M.J. Fredrick portrays the story in gritty and realistic terms to the very last detail made this earn a spot from my favorite reads for this year. Raw and honest in the gut wrenching emotions that it brings forth, heartbreaking in the details of the rape and torture that is part of every day life for women in the region, Don’t Look Back is a novel that has got it all. If a well-balanced romantic suspense with a bit of dark edge to it is what you want, don’t hesitate to pick this one up and let yourself be taken away on an intense adventure that would have you biting your nails before halfway through!

Favorite Quotes

To compensate, she took a deep breath and found herself with a noseful of Del-scent. Something about the sharp smell of him, lying beneath what might be Old Spice, made her want to bury her face in his throat and breathe him in.

Words escaped him. All his energy was in controlling his desire. He had no business looking at her, no business wanting to run his fingers through her hair, to bring her body against his and warm her with his kisses. He was the last thing she needed in her life.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Dangerous Kisses by Trish Milburn

Format: E-bookdangerouskisses
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Jake Radley
Heroine: Sydney Blackburn
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: June 7, 2011
Started On: July 2, 2011
Finished On: July 2, 2011

I am someone who wants to give in to a good crying jag when I pick up books that do not live up to my expectations. This one stirred my interest and of course along with it my ‘high’ expectations upon seeing the rave 5-star reviews for the book on Amazon. Needing a good romantic suspense with enough scorching passion to light up my world, I trusted the reviews and believed that Dangerous Kisses would deliver a smashing read and sadly I found this to be just an average read, most of the story which I skimmed through to reach the end.

32 year old Sydney Blackburn is the police beat reporter for The Nashville Courier and someone who takes her job of keeping the public informed very seriously. When a girl is found murdered in her town, all her reporter senses go on red-alert knowing that the police would always withhold vital facts that could save someone from stumbling onto a killer’s path.

Jake Radley is the officer in charge of the investigation of the murder of Maggie Field, a murder which brings home the fact that Nashville has a serial killer amongst its midst. Jake is a man who has been burnt badly by a reporter early on on in his career with her ambition to get ahead no matter the consequences. Needless to say, Jake has a deep rooted mistrust for reporters which rears its ugly head when the beautiful reporter from The Nashville Courier is relentless in her efforts to get the details of the investigation from him.

All that Sydney knows is that although Jake’s mere presence makes her feel breathless with longings better left unvoiced, Jake has no such problems when he goes out of his way to be his utmost rudest with her. But when the killer’s unwanted attention focuses on Sydney, Jake pulls out all the stops in his quest to keep her safe from harms way, the result of the ‘forced’ proximity building up a layer of intimacy between the two which makes both Jake and Sydney give into their desire of one another. However, Jake is a man who believes that he is better off alone and goes out of his way to drive home the fact until it might be all too late to let the woman he loves know that he is a man who is ready for the ultimate commitment.

For me, Dangerous Kisses didn’t make that much of an exceptional impression. Yes there was a hot hero and there was a gutsy heroine who didn’t back down but I just didn’t feel that sizzle between the two and didn’t find myself captivated by the chemistry between them. The killer though creepy made for an okay villian and even though he managed to surprise me when his identity was revealed, yet again I wasn’t wowed with the thriller aspect of the novel as well. It just pains me to write reviews such as this one when I am someone who reads for enjoyment, the sizzle and the adventure which provides me with my escape from reality. Though this one didn’t live up to the mark for me, it just might be what the doctor ordered for you.

Recommended for fans of Trish Milburn.

Now I am seriously in need of a story that would deliver me from the funk I find myself in at the moment. Sigh!!!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

averageread

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

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Walking the Edge by Zee Monodee

Format: E-bookwalkingtheedge
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Corpus Brides, Book 1
Publisher: Noble Romance Publishing
Hero: Gerard Emmanuel Besson
Heroine: Morgane Mary Catherine Van Heerden
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: June 30, 2011
Started On: July 1, 2011
Finished On: July 1, 2011

Walking the Edge is the explosive debut novel of the Corpus Brides series by Zee Monodee. Shrouded in mystery and half-truths until its climactic ending, Walking the Edge is a romantic suspense novel that rightfully earns its position as one of the best romantic suspense novels to line my e-book shelves this year.

Walking the Edge kicks off with the heroine Amelia in the midst of a shopping complex, closely guarded by the hulk of a man sent with her seemingly for her protection by the cold and aloof man who proclaims to be her husband. Amelia suffers from amnesia and though her ‘husband’ tries to keep her under the influence of mind altering drugs, some deep hidden instinct within Amelia refuses to let her believe the nicely made up history of her life that comes out of Peter’s mouth.

Its the dreams when she she is forced to slumber that brings her to France to meet the man who seems to have been her lover, a man who doesn’t recall the fact which makes her lose all hope of ever finding out the truth about herself.

The last thing Gerard needs is a woman to turn up claiming to be his long-lost lover even though he has no recollection of the beautiful woman in obvious distress who stands in front of him. When Amelia saves his life from a close call and inevitably shows a side of herself that even she is not aware of, Gerard knows that he cannot walk away from the lure that this woman poses, a woman who makes him crave as he had craved for another woman that he should best have forgotten about.

As Gerard and Amelia give into the explosive mind numbing passion that whirls between them, questions about who she is and why she resembles the woman whose death seven months back which still haunts him mount up with no answers forthcoming. Amelia who is a mass of contradictions refuses to bow down to the fact that she is just merely the wife of someone she can’t stand and continues to stalk the truth about herself which frustratingly remains elusive until everything comes tumbling down, giving both Amelia and Gerard answers which once again has the power to drive them apart once and for all.

Walking the Edge delivers the sort of suspense that I love to find in books and movies, the type that makes my mind restless to find out the hidden truth which is so very well done in this novel. Together with this aspect, Zee Monodee keeps up with the relentless passion of the red-hot variety which escalates from one encounter to the other, delvering raw emotions between her characters that they both need to face head on. The basis of the covert secret agents that makes up the bare skeleton of the series is well done and I for one am definitely looking forward to more novels in the Corpus Brides series.

Recommended highly for fans of romantic suspense novels who love those stories that deliver on a mystery that puzzles you and makes you positively itch to find out the truth. A story that combines red-hot passion, sizzling sexual tension, a mystery that taunts you to read on and a love so powerful that even forgotten memories couldn’t keep them away.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Noble Romance

awesomeread

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

Review: Now You See Him… by Anne Stuart

Format: E-booknowyouseehim
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Silhouette Intimate Moments, #429
Publisher: Silhouette
Hero: James Mackintosh Bond
Heroine: Frances Neeley
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: April 1, 1992
Started On: June 29, 2011
Finished On: June 29, 2011

Its being quite some time since I immersed myself in the magic that Anne Stuart alone can create with her ruthlessly determined and controlled heroes. Now You See Him is one of her much earlier books and a Harlequin romance at that but nevertheless still managed to pack a wealth of emotion into the 200+ pages of the story.

Now You See Him kicks off in quite an unusual way with the heroine Frances Neeley waiting for her to-be lover Patrick Dugan to come home after attending some demonstration in his cause for freedom for Ireland. However, the night does not end amidst a bed of roses but rather in a severe bloodbath as Patrick turns out to be a murderer, a liar and a terrorist for whom Francey had just been a means to an end.

Francey retires to the tiny island of St. Anne’s in the Carribbean to lick her wounds in private and to let the sun, sea and the beach work its magic on her raw, open wounds. When her cousin Daniel Traverse who owns the villa Belle Reste in which Francey is recuperating sends along seemingly harmless Michael Dowde recovering from a near fatal auto accident, Francey almost lets her guard down in thinking that no harm would come to her from Michael even when her instincts scream at her otherwise.

Michael’s mission while he gets back his strength is a simple one. Find out whether Francey is as innocent as she claims to be or eliminate her if else. But what he doesn’t count on is for someone as unremarkable as Francey with her brown hair, brown eyes and heart shaped face to get under his skin right from the initial onset.

When danger comes calling from the terrorist cell which Michael has been trying to hunt down for so long, he does the only thing that the 37 years of his life of living on the edge has taught him; protect Francey with everything he is even though he knows that the threat on his heart from the woman he is on the run with is a very likely possibility. For the first time in his life, Michael who weaves a web of deceit so great to protect Francey and his cover finds himself itching to possess the purity that is Francey, make her his and starts thinking foolish thoughts of a shared future which he has no right thinking.

Francey doesn’t fare any better when she is drawn towards the enigmatic Michael with his erotic looking hands, who fires up her desires unlike anything she has ever experienced. Though her heart warns her to stay away from a man whom she knows is not telling her the truth, Francey knows she would lay down her very life for this man with the many facets, who turns up at the most unexpected moments and who haunts her every waking thought and dreams when he is not around.

Now You See Him though a short novel doesn’t pull any punches nor takes any short cut in the adventure or the romance aspect of the story. Michael who goes by so many names is a man with a dangerous past, who knows that Francey would be far better off without him in the picture. However, he is as much a slave to the desire that unfolds between these two polar opposites, the strength of the growing feelings pulling them together regardless of danger or the consequences.

Michael is a hero who made my heart go aflutter, who made my senses go alive and who made me yearn and crave for his happily ever after. And I loved Francey because she identified with the real man behind all the facades to find Michael a man worthy of her trust and affections. Though many a reader may not like Michael as a hero and the story that unfolded, for me, Now You See Him is just the perfect sort of read to indulge and immerse myself in to escape reality.

Recommended for fans of Anne Stuart’s ICE series and for those who like their heroes a bit ruthless with an edge.

Purchase Links: Amazon

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Man Law by Adrienne Giordano

Format: E-bookmanlaw
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Private Protectors, Book 1
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Vic Andrews
Heroine: Gina Delgado
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 4, 2011
Started On: June 27, 2011
Finished On: June 27, 2011

Man Law by Adrienne Giordano is the debut novel of the Private Protectors series set to be released on the 4th of July by Carina Press. Lately Carina Press has published some very great books which in turn has introduced voracious readers such as myself to a number of fabulous and really talented authors for which I am forever grateful to Carina Press.

Man Law tells the story of the sexy Vic Andrews with his distracting goatee and his unwanted attraction towards his best friend Mike’s younger sister Gina Delgado, a single mother with three kids, who has been a widow for the past four years. Vic is a man who lives by and follows only his Man laws and he screws that up royally when he has mind numbing sexual encounters with Gina in the basement of her house, at the beach and the next time in her kitchen. Though Vic and Gina both brush those off as brain farts, they both know that the underlying attraction that always ignites whenever they are together won’t be brushed aside just that easily.

When one of Vics’s assignments come back to haunt him and the target this time is Gina and her kids, Vic knows that he won’t let anything happen to them as long as he is able to draw breathe from his body. To say that Vic has commitment issues and emotional garbage is to put things mildly. But Gina is determined that Vic decide once and for all whether what they have between them is worth exploring or walking away from. What Gina wouldn’t back down from is that she won’t say yes to a relationship with a man who puts his life constantly in danger, having once already gone through hell after the untimely death of her husband.

What made Man Law such an interesting story was because of the way the author brings in all the characters and let them do their thing. Lily, Gina’s youngest is so adorable that you can’t help but grin at her conversations with Vic who might think he is clueless when it comes to kids but does so very well in that department as well. Gina fights for what she wants and when it is Vic that she sets her sights on, she doesn’t let him that easily off the hook when the last thing he wants to do is talk about how he feels.

The twenty four hour surveillance that Taylor Security pulls off on Gina’s family certainly brings Vic that much closer for the first time in his life to saying yes to commitment, but for Vic that might not be what fate has in store for him when he leaves Gina to hunt down his enemy, knowing that without that final act of vengeance on his part, he would never  be able to look himself in the mirror ever again.

I just flat-out loved Vic’s sense of humor and the way his thoughts filter out to bring a smile to the reader’s face even during the most charged moments in the story. The thing that drew me in the most was that every part of the story felt real from the humor to the teenage crabby issues to the passion and love that flares between Gina and Vic. And if I hadn’t already been half in love with Vic by the end of the story, the last chapter would have convinced me to go all the way as I just simply adored the ending.

Filled to the brim with humor, sizzling sexual tension, romance with a love that grows on you, Man Law is a summer read not to be missed out on!

Recommended for those who love romantic suspense, adventure and romance in one setting.

Definitely looking forward to the rest of the novels in the series.

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

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