Category / Outstanding Read

Rating of 5 stars!

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: One Good Reason by Sarah Mayberry

Format: E-bookonegoodreason
Read with: Amazon Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Going Back, #33
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Jon Adamson
Heroine: Gabriele Wade
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 26, 2011
Started On: July 5, 2011
Finished On: July 6, 2011

I am like a kid with a new stick of candy when it comes to books by Sarah Mayberry. I want to savor every emotion the book invokes, I get frustrated when anything takes me away from my indulgence and I am left with a feeling of melancholy once I am done, knowing that it would be quite sometime afterwards that I would get to indulge in a book by my favorite Harlequin author again.

The release of this book has also brought to light the fact that I am the worst possible stalker in the world. Ever since I read Sarah Mayberry’s last release earlier this year which features Tyler, younger brother of the hero Jon in this novel, I have been looking up various websites to see when and what her next release would be. Even then, somehow I managed to miss this title until I saw a review of the book from my friend Jill on Goodreads. You could probably imagine my reaction when this happened and lets just say that I was not a happy camper at all. LOL!

As I mentioned earlier, One Good Reason is tied with Sarah Mayberry’s last release The Last Goodbye. Jon Adamson is the older brother, the one who fled home as soon as he was able to and moved to Canada where he had owned his construction company and made a name for himself until his return back to Australia upon the death of his father. Quieter and more intense, Jon is a man who keeps all his emotions under wrap, control being his most important and coveted feature until he meets the prickly and independent to the boot Gabriele Wade (Gabby) who pricks and pokes into all his emotions until his control shreds to pieces.

Gabby works as the office manager at the T.A. Furnitures owned  by her ex-boyfriend Tyler who is now very happily married to the love of his life. Gabby had spent 3 years of her life with Tyler, wondering when he would open up to her, and finally walking away when she realized that Tyler would never change.

From the start, Gabby and Jon rub each other the wrong way, polite conversation a foreign concept for both of them when they are together. All this culminates in one of the most explosive desk smexing session that left me breathless, that tore apart both Gabby and Jon’s control to pieces, that somehow brings home the fact that for both Jon and Gabby, their encounter means more than a meaningless roll in the hay.

But Jon is a man who has his own demons to fight, the residue of a childhood spent with an abusive father, his hold on Jon still a deep rooted one even from beyond the grave. For Jon, trust and opening up himself doesn’t come easily and for Gabby who has once being through all this before, its like her worst nightmare come true all over again when her feelings are much more involved than the last time around.

What I love about Sarah Mayberry’s books is the fact that she writes about ‘real’ people with problems you can relate to. Honest emotions, fears and doubts are dealt with in a way that brings forth a lot of emotions of the good and bad kind and once you are done, you can’t help but want more.

Jon’s character is such an endearing one, his physique and the fact that he is wearing a god-damn tool belt on the cover earning him all plus points in spades. And Jon is much more than just a pretty face, described as a gentle giant in the book which pretty much sums him up, as beneath his tough exterior lies a heart that bleeds.  Gabby is a heroine who wormed her way into my heart because deep inside she wants Jon to be happy, for Jon to be able to move beyond the shackles that has bound him till now. Her independence, the fact that she is fiercely protective lends her character a charming facet that has landed her in my favorite heroines shelf.

One Good Reason is a book that deals with a difficult subject. Child abuse at the hands of those that should protect them from the evil that lurks in the rest of the world. The effects that still linger and the emotional scars left behind are all dealt with honesty earning this novel a corner from my favorite reads this year.

Recommended for ALL fans of contemporary romance.

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

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

Format: E-bookslavetosensation_2
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Psy-Changeling, Book 1
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Hero: Lucas Hunter
Heroine: Sascha Duncan
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: September 5, 2006
Started On: June 20, 2011
Finished On: June 21, 2011

Wow!! That is all I am capable of saying at the moment with the remnants of Nalini Singh’s Slave to Sensation still coursing through me. If not for Dina’s review of Kiss of Snow on Goodreads that picks up bits and pieces of Hawke from each and every story till the 10th book in the Psy-Changeling series that delivers Hawke’s story, I would not have been tempted to pick up and read the first book in the series which has left me with a sort of breathless anticipation to continue reading.

Slave to Sensation introduces us to the world of Psy and the Changelings whose worlds cannot be more different even if they tried. Psy’s are well known for their icy control, inhuman practicality and their inability to resort to any sort of violence – or so they say. Changelings on the other hand are races that allow their animal sides to rule them and thrive on all sorts of emotional bonds and attachments that they form within their packs.

Our heroine Sascha Duncan has lived her whole life as a Psy knowing deep inside that she is unlike the rest of her race. Where icy control should be what runs through her veins, Sascha is a Psy that feels, a trait that would get her terminated if the Psy Cardinals were ever to find it out. Thinking that she is going crazy and that life as she knows it would come to an abrupt end if she ever were to show her vulnerability to her own race, Sascha is a woman torn apart on the inside, crying out for something which she doesn’t even fully comprehend.

When things on the business front brings her in contact with the sexy Lucas Hunter, alpha of the DarkRiver pack, she is at a loss as to how to handle the full frontal attack of sensations that bombard her right from the very first meeting. Lucas is a Hunter on a mission, who has vowed that he would do everything in his power to crumble the lines of defences around the Psy to find out who it is that are preying on females of their kind. What he doesn’t expect is to feel a compulsive need to touch and be touched by the woman of mass contradictions with whom he is to spend considerable time with for the next couple of months.

Scared out of her wits that Lucas and the way he constantly touches her is accelerating her deterioration process, Sascha tries her damnedest to erect walls of control around her heart and emotions which proves to be no match for the lethal touches and kisses that invoke a blaze of hunger across all her senses that refuse to be denied any longer.

When the news about a killer amongst her race comes to light, Sascha knows that finding him and bringing him to justice is the one thing she would do for the Changelings whose way of life makes her crave to embrace life with Lucas by her side which she knows is an impossibility. However, Lucas who has finally found his mate refuses to be denied as Sascha undertakes a mission that could very well mean her death and the end of a love that grows and fosters no matter how much Sascha may try to shield Lucas from eternal pain and loss that is sure to follow.

Slave to Sensation is a masterpiece that has everything going for it starting from its very appropriate title, the story underneath which has the power to invoke powerful emotions in the reader. The fascinating world which Ms. Singh creates is an unbeatable one where you can’t help but be in awe at the powers of her imagination in coming up with a world that feels as if its unfolding right in front of you.

All the characters whether it be Sascha and Luke, or the delicious Hawke from the SnowDancers pack to the ruthless and emotionless Psy are well rounded lending the story an extra richness that only in-depth character development can give a story.

Lucas (sigh) has wanting me to braid my non-existent long hair  just so that I can feel even a minute figment of what Sascha feels throughout the story when Lucas focuses his lethal brand of charm and seduction on her. Loved the purring and the rumbling that went on and especially the way Lucas protects, cossets and cherishes Sascha. Fantastic right from the very start, this is a series that fans of paranormal/urban-fantasy romances should not miss!

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

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

Format: E-booklordofscoundrels
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Scoundrels, Book 3
Publisher: Avon
Hero: Sebastian Leslie Guy De Ath Ballister
Heroine: Jessica Trent
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 30, 1995
Started On: June 15, 2011
Finished On: June 16, 2011

Lord of Scoundrels is a historical romance that has earned its fair share of awards in the world of romance. Being at the very top of the AAR list of 100 romances is no small feat and I went in with high expectations when I started out with this book. True to the awards the book has received, I was totally enchanted and captivated with the story that unfolded and hopelessly and madly in love with both Sebastian and Jessica before halfway through, and enjoyed the third book in the Scoundrels series as much as I imagined I would.

Lord of Scoundrels tells the tale of Sebastian Leslie Guy De Ath Ballister, the son of the Earl of Blackmoor and his second wife. A man who is more besotted with his property than anything else, the Earl holds little regard for his young wife and even less so towards the ugly son that she bears him.

From a young age, Sebastian is a bewildered child because he doesn’t have the remotest clue as to why his father goes out of his way to avoid him. And the only source of warmth and compassion in his life leaves him at the tender age of 8 when his mother runs away with her lover, leaving a scared little boy with a resentful father. Its not long before Sebastian is sent away to boarding school where he learns to toughen up and where he learns to give back as good as he gets and earns the respect of his notorious peers. Needless to say between the merciless teasing and fights with fellow students and the continuous flogging sessions received at school, Sebastian has any figment of love, tenderness or hope beaten out of him long before he turns into an adult.

Twenty five years later, Sebastian is filthy rich and a man powerful in his own right who is still feared by the members of the respectable society towards which Sebastian feels nothing more than contempt. But when beautiful and feisty Jessica Trent invades his life and starts creeping under his skin, Sebastian tries the only trick he is left with; drive her away by being his most notorious self whilst inside his heart and very soul cries out for Jessica in a way he had long since forgotten.

Jessica is no wimpy female who finds her own fascination with Sebastian troublesome to say the least. Animal attraction she can supposedly handle, but marriage and the prospect of falling in love with the most hard headed male she has come across wasnt exactly what Jessica was looking for.

In Jessica Sebastian finds that for the first time in his life that he needs someone else to complete him and knows that if she ever were to leave him he would just wither and die away. You would think that once the man realizes that he would make things easier for his newly wedded wife. But pride and his vow never to let anyone close enough to hurt him has Sebastian trying to drive away Jessica albeit unsuccessfuly and the antics that follow make for quite an engrossing tale.

You can’t read Lord of Scoundrels without falling in love with both Sebastian and Jessica as they together make an explosive combination that just keeps you turning the pages, wishing that the story would just go on and on. I seriously loved the spunky and fiesty Jessica because she was insightful enough to know Sebastian inside out and strong enough to fight him fair snd square where their love is concerned. I especially loved the witty bantering between Sebastian and Jessica whose way with the words cannot help but invoke huge-ass grins all over. And Jessica’s attempts at seducing her husband and the resultant effect on her overly self-controlled husband is definitely one of the highlights in a story that definitely deserves and has more than earned its fair share of millions of fans all over the world.

Highly recommended for fans of romances.

Favorite Quotes

The trouble was Jessica could not feel at all sensible. A magnetic current was racing along her nerve endings. It slithered and swirled through her system, to make an odd, tingling heat in the pit of her belly, and it melted her brain to soup.
She wanted to kick off her shoes and trail her stockinged toes up and down the black, costly boot. She wanted to slide her fingers under his starched shirt cuff and trace the veins and muscles of his wrist and feel his pulse beating under her thumb. Most of all, she wanted to press her lips to his hard, dissolute mouth and kiss him senseless.

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

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Woman on the Run by Lisa Marie Rice

Format: E-bookwomanontherun
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Sam Cooper
Heroine: Julia Devaux
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: October 1, 2005
Started On: June 10, 2011
Finished On: June 11, 2011

Julia Devaux finds herself in the mother of all fixes when she witnesses a mob hit and becomes a valuable witness who could put away the dangerous Joey Capruzzo behind bars for a good long time. However that also means that one seriously rich and pissed off Capruzo is after her pretty little head served on a platter which would mean another failed attempt by the US government  to indict him.

A book worm and film buff at the core, though Julia has lived a life of moving from one place to the other with her parents always on the move, she is not at all prepared to change into a Sally Anderson, a second grade school teacher in the middle of nowhere in Simpson, Idaho. With her life turned completely upside down, Julia is one step away from just simply sitting down and wailing at the winds when things take an interesting turn and she starts having an unholy fascination for anything to do with the tall, strong and silent Sam Cooper who turns up on her doorstep most unexpectedly.

Ex-Navy SEAL, Sam is a man who finds himself in serious trouble when the delectable new teacher in Idaho leaves him with a raging hard-on for the first time in almost two years. Sam’s past and the famous Cooper curse makes him a wary man on all counts. On top of all that, Sam is not a man who has much inclination to talk which has him sweating buckets when it comes to wooing and seducing the one woman whom he wants more than his next breath.

With a whopping figure of two million on her head, Julia is far from safe even in a no name town such as Simpson when it brings out a killer most cunning who will do anything to find out and kill Julia, all for the luxury the money for the kill would bring.

Whe Sam finds out that Julia, the woman who has turned his life and that of his town around is a woman on the run, there is no stopping him from pulling out all the stops in protecting the one woman who means the world to him. Towards the end, the cunning killer almost wins in putting Julia six feet under until Sam arrives to the rescue with just seconds to spare.

I loved Woman on the Run by Lisa Marie Rice as this turned out to be refreshingly different from the rest of her novels I have read to date. I say different because of the take on humor this story has which had me laughing out loud in several places when Julia’s quirky sense of self-depreciating humor along with the small town life comes into play.

From the aspect of the hero and the trademark LMR sensuality, this book is another winner with Sam being the uber-alpha and the protective kind whose want and need for Julia goes beyond anything describable. Julia is an endearing heroine whom I loved from the start of the novel though she sounds a bit confused of what she wants and needs at the beginning of the story. The villain when brought to light turned out to be the biggest shocker rendering this as one of the most enjoyable romantic suspense by the author. For me the best part of the epilogue of the story which takes place 4 years later turned out to be how different a man Sam is towards the end. And I would love to point it out that the overly descriptive narrations that annoyed me in Hotter than Wildfire which I reviewed earlier were non-existent in this one, making it earn a whopping 5 stars from the sunny side of life!

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

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Yours To Keep by Shannon Stacey

Format: E-bookYourstokeep
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Kowalski Family, Book 3
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Sean Michael Kowalski
Heroine: Emma Shaw
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: June 6, 2011
Started On: May 28, 2011
Finished On: May 28, 2011

Yours to Keep is the 3rd book in the Kowalski Family series by the very talented Shannon Stacey. Though this is my very first book by Ms. Stacey, I had no trouble identifying with the fact that she can deliver a fantastic romance, and this one definitely makes it into the list of my favorite reads for 2011. This book is going to follow the I-Review format which I introduced earlier and would follow a question and answer format which will hopefully do justice to the wonderful romance this delivered – in spades.

You: What made you pick up Yours to Keep?

MBR: I have always heard good things about Shannon Stacey though I have never had the opportunity to try out her work prior to this. You can always blame it on the hundreds of new books that find their way into my TBR pile (sneaky things these books). And this time when I found Yours to Keep up for grabs on Netgalley I didn’t hesitate to procure a copy and here I am grinning from ear to ear and nearly purring in complete satisfaction at the end. And of course, fellow blogger Pearl’s fantastic 5-star rating of the book helped things along as well.

You: Tell us a little bit about the hero Sean Kowalski.

MBR: Sean Michael Kowalski finally returns home for good after having served the army for the past 12 years. With blue eyes and a smile that can do serious damage to a woman’s insides, the one thing that Sean wants is to have the freedom for the first time in his life to do whatever he wants before even contemplating about settling down.

You: Now tell us a little bit about the heroine Emma Shaw.

MBR: The owner of Landscaping by Emma, Emma Shaw is an only child who was brought up her grandmother Catherine Shaw after the death of her parents at the age of 4. Emma has her roots tied down in New Hampshire, owns a business doing something that she loves and her only discontentment arises from the fact that her grandmother who finally managed to move to Florida still keeps on worrying about Emma. Whilst Emma doesn’t see the harm in conjuring up an imaginary live in boyfriend to keep her grandmother placated, what she doesn’t realize is the fact that it is indeed a tangled web one weaves when they intend to deceive.

You: How does Sean and Emma meet for the first time?

MBR: Sean and Emma’s first meeting is a memorable one in the story. Sean has just arrived at his cousin Kevin’s place where he would be crashing for the duration of his stay when Emma turns up on his doorstep claiming that she is his fiancée and tries enlisting his help in playing make-believe engaged couple with her for the duration of her grandmother’s upcoming visit. Though Sean thinks Emma to be tall, hot and batshit crazy in that very order, that doesn’t stop him wanting to say yes to Emma’s offer or prevent his body from hungering for hers in the worst way possible.

You: What was it that drew you into the story with Yours to Keep?

MBR: Even though I have never sampled Shannon Stacey’s work prior to this, I totally fell for her style of writing which drew me in right from the very beginning. I loved the concept of the story which was one of the reasons that had me saying Yes to Yours to Keep in the first place and it is the way that Ms. Stacey pulls the right emotions from the reader at every turn that had me reading this in one sitting, something that rarely happens these days.

You: What was it that you liked about Yours to Keep?

MBR: I am someone who ALWAYS loves a good contemporary romance. Throw in a hotter than sin ex-military hero whose vocabulary at the moment does not have any room for the word permanence in it, and a heroine who is his match in every way possible; call me fickle but I love the way two people who aren’t looking for love find it in the last place they are looking for.

I loved a lot of things about this delectable contemporary starting from Sean who is definitely hot enough to melt any woman to a puddle of goo in mere seconds. His whole character starting from his sinfully good looks to the way he tries so hard to keep his desire in check where Emma is concerned made him a hero I enjoyed in every way possible.

And then there is Emma, who has her heart set in the right place but doesn’t know what hits her when her “fake” fiancée turns out to be the real thing. Emma is loyal and intense to Sean’s laid-back attitude and the way that she is unafraid to grab whatever it is that is simmering between her and Sean made me root for her even more!

I loved all the side characters, some of whose stories of happily ever afters have already been told, lending Yours to Keep that extra edge which was why in the end it ended up in my list of favorite reads for 2011.

The sexual tension between Emma and Sean was sizzling hot at all times, the combustive culmination of their surrender that much more sweeter because of the fact. And I absolutely fell in love with Sean the moment he started leaving little bits of notes for Emma all around the house and the final scenes in the story just made me want to bawl my eyes out – with happy tears.

You: What if anything would you want to change in Yours to Keep?

MBR: For me, Yours to Keep is just damn perfect as it is!

You: Who would you recommend Yours to Keep to?

MBR: Fans of the Kowalski series should definitely read this one. Its a keeper!

And for fans of Shannon Stacey who haven’t yet delved into the Kowalski world, you definitely ought to, even if it is with this one. Yes, it is that good!

And for fans of contemporary romances, this one should definitely end up on your pile of books that MUST be read!

You: Any memorable scenes/quotes from Yours to Keep that you would like to share?

MBR: I loved the notes that Sean kept leaving for Emma to find. One of my favorites comes from the list he gives her during the final moments in the story:

You don’t take any crap from me.
You make me laugh.
Missionary is my favorite position now because I can see your face.

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Breaking Point by Pamela Clare

Format: E-bookbreakingpoint
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: I-Team, Book 5
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Hero: Zachariah McBride
Heroine: Natalie Benoit
Sensuality: 4
Published on: May 3, 2011
Started On: May 3, 2011
Finished On: May 4, 2011

Oh…my…stars!

In the words of our heroine Natalie Benoit, that about sums up this delectable addition to the already 5-star plus I-Team series by Pamela Clare, in which each individual book in this series has rocked my world in so many ways. The 5th installment in the series has been a much awaited one by the thousands of fans of this series all over the world and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I have been on tenterhooks ever since Ms. Clare announced the release date of Breaking Point on her blog a few months back. The wait though an agonizing one has all been worth it as Ms. Clare once again proves her remarkable talent in delivering what readers like us truly want when we pick up a novel of the RS genre.

Breaking Point with its fabulously drool-inducing cover tells the story of the beautiful I-Team reporter Natalie Benoit and Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Zachariah McBride (Zach) who meet each other in the most trying circumstances. Zach is former Navy SEAL and has more than his fair share of battle scars, a testament to the Medal of Honor that he receives upon honorable discharge from the army. Now a U.S. Marshal who puts his life on the line day in and day out doing what he does best, Zach is betrayed by a fellow agent and wakes up in a hell hole from which he has no means of escaping.

Born and bred in New Orleans, Natalie Benoit moves to Denver after Hurricane Katrina brought with it tragedy into her life from which Natalie still suffers. Working for the Denver Independent on the elite I-Team for the past 3 years, Natalie finds herself signing up for a 3-day convention in Mexico because she needs a change of pace from the usual. However Natalie finds more than she bargained for when she finds herself a captive of the notoriously cruel Los Zetas who have their own nefarious agenda all lined up for her.

It is at the compound to which she is taken to and held captive that she meets Zach who is clinging on to his reserves of strength to stay alive amidst the torture that is dished out daily in order to break him. The surge of protectiveness that courses through Zach when he first sights the beautiful Natalie takes him unawares and Natalie’s tenacious efforts to escape infuses Zach with a slight ray of hope that they just might make it out of Mexico with their lives intact.

Thus begins a desperate race across a harsh and unforgiving desert to make it to the safety of U.S. soil, the desert providing its own sources of danger at each and every turn. As Natalie and Zach spend time depending on each other, the attraction that neither of them can deny heats things up to the most delicious levels, the scenes of passion that unfolds between the two done in classic Pamela Clare style, hot enough to skyrocket one’s inner temperature to eyebrow singeing levels. But back home does not turn out to be the sanctuary it promises as danger of the life threatening variety keeps after Natalie, bringing heroes from the previous I-Team books into the picture making this the most action-packed romance that Ms. Clare has written to-date.

There are so many things that makes this a 5+ star read for me. One of them being the unbeatable style with which Ms. Clare brings to life her characters who have the ability to imbed themselves into the deepest recesses of my memory and heart, rendering each and every one of them unforgettable for years to come. Likewise, Zach McBride is the type of hero who has the ability to fuel any woman’s dreams of the naughty as well as the non-naughty variety as he steps up and does what he is  best at – protect the woman he loves at all costs. His attention to detail in bed and out of it carves him a well-deserved notch in my unforgettable-hero list. Though Zach has his own demons that needs to be laid to rest before he can embrace his happily-ever-after, it is Zach’s take-charge attitude that appealed to me the most.

Natalie is a kick-ass heroine in her own right as she battles her own fears and overcomes them to escape the men who hold her captive. Natalie’s inner vulnerability makes her easy to relate to and the way she has the ability to draw Zach out of his shell and make his playful side come out to play was one of the most endearing qualities about Natalie. She has no qualms about expressing her love for a man who deserves all that and so much more and refuses to back down from the fight for her own happily ever after even if it means that the battle she wages is with the man who has earned her heart, body and soul.

And of course, let me not forget the impact the rest of the I-Team heroes bring to the novel as Marc, Gabe and Darcangelo come together and put their very own lives on the line to protect their own. The interactions between the 3 left me with huge grins on my face each and every time and found myself going “Aww!” at a scene towards the end of the book that shows the depth of the relationship between Julian and Marc. Gabe and Marc both get in on the action rendering me speechless a time or two, especially Gabe who seems to have gone up in my total-hottie-alpha-male list after reading this book, if it is at all possible!

If I were to continue rehashing what made this book work for me, I would never reach the end of this review and would probably end up boring you all to tears. But the flowery gushy tone just comes out to play when I end up loving a book to bits as I did with this one. If you are already a fan of the I-Team series and haven’t read this yet, my question would be, what on Earth are you waiting for? Like me, just put your entire life on hold for a couple of hours and indulge in Zach and Natalie’s story as it will sweep you off your feet right from the very beginning. If you have never heard of Pamela Clare and have no idea what the I-Team series is all about, I say its high time that you educate yourselves on this fantastic series. You can find reviews of all the books in the series here if you are interested and I dare you to pick a book and give yourselves a couple of minutes with the story that unfolds. I assure you, time and money well spent!

Favorite Quotes

He felt empty, broken, defeated.
He wrapped his arms around her, refusing to let go, his head dropping to rest against her chest.
Without a word, she enfolded him in her embrace, holding him to her breast like a mother comforting a child, her fingers curling in her hair, her heartbeat steady in his ear. And he clung to her.

“Shh.” He pressed his finger to her lips. “When I realized I was going to die, the only thing I could think about was you and what an idiot I’d been for not telling you how I felt about you. I think I’ve loved you from the moment you lifted that awful blind off my face. I opened my eyes, and there you were, the bravest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. You set me free, Natalie. In so many ways, you set me free.”

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

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

So, with the publication of this review, I’ve decided to take things a tad further and do my first giveaway for two reasons. One being that my blog just surpassed the 10,000 hits mark and second because I just adore Ms. Clare as an author and what she can do with her stories. So to celebrate in style, I will be giving away a 20$ Amazon gift certificate to one will be picked out from a random draw which will be held 4 days from now, on the 9th of May 2011. To enter you have to do the following:

  1. Like this review post if you are on Facebook and spread the word to your friends who might be interested.
  2. If you are on Twitter, share this and tweet about the giveaway!
  3. And last but not the least, leave a comment with the post stating your email address and if you are already a fan of the I-Team series I would like to know your favorite hero from Marc, Julian, Gabe, Reece and Zach and why. If you haven’t read the I-Team series yet, I would like to know your favorite romantic suspense novel that you have read to-date. And if you have tweeted or shared the review on Facebook, please mention it on your comment as well as your name would be entered 5 times into the draw. Even if you do not share this review on Facebook or Twitter you can still  leave a comment behind and enter the draw. Good luck fellow readers!
by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Negligee Behavior by Shelli Stevens

Format: E-booknegligeebehavior
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Marco Vargas
Heroine: Brandy Elizabeth Summers
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: May 23, 2011
Started On: May 1, 2011
Finished On: May 1, 2011

Yowza! What a fantastic piece of romance this turned out to be from one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. Negligee Behavior which is to come out on the 23rd of this month pets and strokes all the right places with the right balance of quirky humor, romance and red-hot passion of the body hair singeing variety and I loved every single moment of Marco and Brandy’s journey to happily ever after.

29 year old Marco Vargas co-owns a bar with his friend Sebastian and likes his life the way it is. He definitely never thought that 30 year old Brandy Summers would hijack his motorbike in her crazy wedding attire one hot afternoon in her attempt to get away from her boyfriend Gordon who is hellbent on getting hitched and turn his life completely around.

A feeling of being suffocated and doubts that she should not feel are all that plagues Brandy as she stands beside her boyfriend Gordon in his impulsive attempt to say their I-do’s in a rat-infested Elvis chapel in Vegas. A high school choir teacher by profession, Brandy is the sole heiress to the exclusive lingerie chain Sugar and Spice, the fastest growing lingerie chain in North America. Having grown up surrounded by picture-perfect models all her life, Brandy suffers from self-esteem issues and hides behind a facade of frumpy clothing through which Marco sees the beautiful and desirable woman inside even if its the last thing that he wants to see.

Brandy is as taken aback by the heady desire that takes a hold of her whenever she is around Marco who does so much more than just rescue her when shit hits the fan, as is Marco by the possessiveness that streaks right through him when it comes to Brandy. And when Brandy pulls all the stops and gets a sensational makeover with the help of the mouthy and smart-ass bartender Valerie, there is no stopping the tidal wave of desire that explodes between them.

However, both Brandy and Marco have secrets of their own which they keep from one another for their own reasons, not wanting to do anything that would shatter the fragile bond that forms between them as the days pass by. With enough humor in the right places that had me laughing out loud several times earning me the are-you-going-crazy? looks from my husband, I thoroughly enjoyed this delectable contemporary romance which was fun, sweet and heady all at the same time!

I loved the vivid characters that were brought to life right from the very start, rendering each of them to be a vital part of the story. Some of my favorite characters include Valerie the bartender, Sebastian, co-owner of the bar and Brandy’s mother whose spunky nature was a real surprise. Marco is such a dreamy and sensationally sexy hero that I found myself sighing each and every single time he calls Brandy “princess” and my heart just sped its beat up a notch whenever his primal instincts came out to play.

Brandy is such an endearing heroine who earned my wholehearted approval right from the very start with her quirky comebacks and sensitive nature at the core. The way she grows and blossoms as the story progresses along was one of the best parts of the story. And as I have been telling Ms. Stevens on Twitter, anyone who reads Negligee Behavior would definitely want to read the story of Sebastian and Marco’s younger sister Elena. There is this vibe between them that definitely has the makings of another breathtaking romance which I am definitely looking forward to! *hint, hint*

This one definitely makes it to my “favorites” list of contemporary romances for 2011 and I recommend it to everyone who loves a good contemporary romance with a sexy as sin hero and a heroine who you would most definitely relate to and delivers so much fun that you would wish the story to never ever end.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Beg for Mercy by Jami Alden

Format: E-bookbegformercy
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Trilogy, Book 1
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Hero: Cole Williams
Heroine: Megan Flynn
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: June 1, 2011
Started On: April 26, 2011
Finished On: April 28, 2011

If I were asked to describe this book in one word, Intense is what comes to mind. Beg for Mercy is a title that sums up what romantic suspense is all about from the very beginning till its very last pages.

Beg for Mercy features the very sexy, rough and tough 37 year old Seattle Police Detective Cole Williams and the beautiful 29 year old Megan Flynn who meet one another 3 years prior to the start of the story. Megan is on her way to spinning dreams of happily ever after with her broody and silent Cole when the stuff that nightmares are made of comes true. Megan’s older brother Sean Flynn is arrested for murder by none other than Cole himself and sentenced to death by lethal injection and in the process shatters whatever fragile bond that has been forming between Cole and Megan.

The story continues 3 years later with Megan the only one who is convinced of her brother’s innocence, trying to find even a shred of evidence that might shed light onto her belief that her one and only remaining family in the world, that the brother who had sworn that he would protect her with his life could not have killed someone in cold blood. Megan’s search for the truth catches a break in the most unlikely manner when she gets up close and personal with the work of the Seattle Slasher, a killer who has been brutally slaying women in the Seattle area. What Megan is not prepared for at all is to once again meet Detective Cole Williams, the man whom she fell in love with 3 years ago only to have her heart crushed and her hopes and dreams shattered by the indifferent manner in which Cole killed their budding relationship upon the arrest of her brother.

Cole feels as if he has been sucker-punched real and good when he comes face to face with the woman who has been haunting his dreams ever since he had walked out on the best thing that had ever happened to him. Though it is hatred for what he did to her brother that shines in Megan’s eyes whenever she looks at him, Cole can’t deny that Megan still has the power to bring him to his knees because whatever that had brought them together in the first place all those years back still simmers good and strong between them.

With Sean’s impending execution looming closer, its a race against time for Megan who leaves no stone unturned in her quest to free her brother. What Megan slowly begins to uncover is the work of a killer who is well versed in the art of deception, a killer who is depraved enough to get off on the hurt that he inflicts on the women that he kills, a killer who is closer to Megan than she can even comprehend.

As the race to the finish line draws closer, so snaps the control both Cole and Megan exerts on the desire that binds them together, lending an extra richness to a story that already has enough moments of heart pounding variety packed into it. The scenes of passion between Cole and Megan are borderline erotic and very tastefully done that I couldn’t get enough of the very sexy Cole who had my heart racing doubly hard whenever he entered the picture.

There are so many things that rate Beg for Mercy as a solid 5-star read. For me the pace that Jami Alden sets with the story is the best thing about this romantic suspense. I love it when stories are intense, barely letting me take a breather before the next scene comes plummeting through which makes for very compelling reads. Of course let me not forget the impact the very intriguing Cole Williams who makes the story come alive just by his mere presence in it. He is the broody and silent warrior  type who feels so much deep inside, but shows an impeccable facade to the outside world until his hard earned control shatters around him in the most sinfully delicious way possible. His protectiveness when it comes to Megan is what endeared him most to me and Megan is a heroine who matches Cole in every way possible. I loved Megan for her unwavering faith in her brother when everyone else believed him to be the worst sort of killer possible and for Megan’s undeniable need for everything to do with Cole even when she tries so hard to tell herself otherwise.

Even as I loved so many things about the story that makes this a memorable read for the year, I was still a teeny weeny bit peeved because it was quite easy to figure out who the villain is even before halfway through the story. I like a bit of suspense in novels such as this, for the author to keep me guessing towards the end which makes the game of figuring out who the heinous killer is a lot more fun!

As I said earlier, Beg for Mercy is intense, graphic and details the gruesome bits involving the killings which makes this book that much better. If a fast paced thriller is what the doctor ordered with a healthy dose of romance between a sinfully alluring hero and a delicate yet spunky heroine then you should definitely go buy this one. For fans of Jami Alden, I am sure you would need no further convincing. Now, I can’t wait for book 2 in this series which is to be Sean’s story to come out on November this year entitled Hide from Evil.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Crimson Shadows by Trisha Baker

Format: E-bookcrimsonshadows
Read with: Microsoft Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Horror
Series: Crimson, Book 3
Publisher: Pinnacle
Hero/Villain: Lord Simon Baldevar
Heroine: Meghann Katherine Agnes O’Neill
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: February 1, 2003
Started On: March 20, 2011
Finished On: March 21, 2011

Its with a feeling of bittersweet melancholy coursing through me that I write this review and bid farewell to one of the most enthralling paranormal/horror romances that I have read to date. I bid farewell to my most favorite villainous hero Simon Baldevar with a heavy heart and I don’t think any hero that I come across afterwards would ever be able to completely surpass what he has made me feel throughout the trilogy.

Crimson Night, book 2 of the Crimson trilogy ended on a bittersweet note with Simon and Meghann going  their separate ways, torn apart by the one thing that was supposed to bring them closer to each other. Vampire pregnancies being rare caused much upheaval on Meghann and nearly destroyed her life before she bore Simon twins, Elizabeth their mortal daughter and Mikal their immortal son. Knowing that Simon’s enemies would never give them a moments peace if it were to come to light that an immortal vampire offspring walks the Earth, Simon does the most unselfish thing he has ever done in his life and subjects himself to separation from Meghann, the woman who holds his heart for eternity and their beautiful daughter to bring up their son who from the very beginning show signs of depravity unlike anything encountered before in the story.

Meghann brings up their beautiful daughter together with the help of her immortal friend and confidante Dr. Charles Tarleton and his life partner Dr. Lee Winslow who adopts Elizabeth as his own child and forgoes transformation to look after Elizabeth during daylight hours. 17 years pass by without any sort of connection between Simon and Meghann apart from the letters they exchange with one another. Elizabeth grows up knowing love and affection from 3 people who dote on her by her side whilst her twin brother Mikal with his unholy appetites and psychotic behavior grows up with his father on a remote Scottish island.

After 17 long years, Simon finally comes seeking his beloved daughter and Meghann whom he has missed more than he would ever let on. Their reunion though a happy one ends on a devastating note when Meghann realizes what her son Mikal is truly capable of with the utter force of destruction that he brings down on her loved ones with a cunningness that stuns them all.

Mikal’s need for vengeance and destruction goes beyond anything rational and before the day is through, both Simon and Meghann are forced to call on reserves of strength and summon friends and foes alike to fight a battle with their mutual enemy; their own son to save their most prized possession of all, their daughter Elizabeth from the clutches of a mad man who makes Simon seem puny in size when compared to the evil that seeps out of him.

Crimson Shadows is a fitting end to a love that has weathered many a storm between Meghann and her centuries old vampire husband Simon. Both Meghann and Simon do a lot of growing up to become worthy of each other’s love, the unabated desire between them strong as ever upon their reunion after 17 long years of celibacy and waiting for each other. However there is a vague sense of incompleteness as to how the story ended because I would have loved to see how the surprising love that stems and grows between Elizabeth and Simon’s hated enemy i.e. Meghann’s ex-lover Jimmy Delcroix fared in the end. And there were a couple of pages towards the end that I felt appalled at Simon’s instinctive lashing out towards Meghann because she dared protect Elizabeth and Jimmy from Simon’s wrath upon his discovery of their coming together that made me wonder whether Simon would ever learn to curb his inner demons and become someone who would never hurt the woman he loves. But I guess if that were to happen, Simon wouldn’t be true to his character and such a total turnabout would be in total antithesis to what we have come to expect from Simon.

Simon is a character that would continue to haunt me for a long time I suppose because even the most “evil” gamma heroes I have come across holds nothing when compared to Simon’s character which compels the reader to hate and love him in equal doses, love triumphing towards the end. The way how Simon’s character changes over time is what captivated me the most because this didn’t happen overnight but rather over a span of 70 years starting from 1944, the year Meghann was turned into a vampire beholden to her Master Simon Baldevar.

The last and final book in the series is definitely not for the faint of heart as once again Trisha Baker pulls no punches in delivering exactly what I have come to expect from her novels. Mikal’s character knows no boundaries when it comes to manifesting pure and unadulterated evil which just makes him a very worthy opponent for the invincible Simon. There were moments towards the end where my poor nails bore the brunt of my utter panic as there seemed to be no end to the cruelty that Mikal was capable of dishing out until the very end.

I recommend all 3 books to those who would love a twisted dark hero to seduce them completely and make you fall for him, however reluctant you may be to do so. I loved every single minute of this trilogy and am saddened by the fact that there are no novels published by the author afterwards.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Crimson Night by Trisha Baker

Format: E-bookcrimsonnight
Read with: Microsoft Reader & Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Horror
Series: Crimson, Book 2
Publisher: Pinnacle
Hero/Villain: Lord Simon Baldevar
Heroine: Meghann Katherine Agnes O’Neill
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: April 1, 2002
Started On: March 17, 2011
Finished On: March 20, 2011

Crimson Night picks up where Crimson Kiss, the first book in the Crimson trilogy left off. Fascinated as I was to continue with the tempestuous love between Lord Simon Baldevar, a 400 year old vampire and his at times reluctant and fiery consort Meghann Katherine Agnes O’Neill, I had to take a breather and read a bit of good old romance before rushing headlong into this one.

When I picked up the 2nd book in this trilogy, I was prepared to face more of the same variety of horror and macabre scenes that I encountered in book 1. However I was pleasantly surprised to find out this book tended to be a bit mellow compared to the first book and it delivered more on the development of the relationship and the feelings between Simon and Meghann.

This story kicks off with Meghann realizing that her last encounter with Simon has rendered her pregnant and Meghann continues to grow weaker as days pass by because of her body’s inability to hold in whatever blood that she tries to consume, something that is vital for her survival. What Meghann does not know is the fact that that very night Simon forged an unbreakable link between them that ties them together which would let Simon know the minute his Meghann needs his help, something which Simon is betting on to happen since he knows just what the rare happenstance of a pregnancy between a vampire couple means on the mother.

Frantic with worry and not knowing what else to do, Dr. Charles Tarleton, Meghann’s faithful companion and best friend in the whole world seeks out Dr. Lee Winslow, a brilliant gynecologist who also is an ex-lover. Though Lee is far from happy to hear from the man who broke his heart 10 years ago, there is a shared history between Lee and Meghann that makes Lee swear to do everything he can to help Meghann survive what looks to be a very risky pregnancy.

With an abortion totally ruled out because of Meghann’s weak condition, Lee barely manages to understand the complexity behind Meghann’s rejection of her natural instinct to drink blood and it is only Simon’s timely appearance that saves Meghann from wasting away until death comes calling. Once again, Meghann becomes dependent on Simon for nourishment which sickens her to the extreme but with no other viable option in front of her, Meghann concedes to Simon’s wishes for the moment in return for Simon’s acceptance in allowing Meghann to take care of her mortal ex-lover Jimmy who has been rendered insane by Simon’s cruelty when turning him into an immortal as a means of revenge on Meghann.

As any mortal pregnant woman, Meghann too is susceptible to mood swings and emotional upheavals from which she finds solace only in Simon, her Master’s arms, something that makes Meghann continually question herself on the reason as to why she feels such conflicting emotions when it comes to Simon.

Simon is a man who is biding his time, who has learnt from his past mistakes with Meghann, who swears that he would never hurt her again, and continues to charm her and woo her back into his life with his tender side, something that only Meghann is witness to.

Before long, Meghann has to face the true nature of her unchanging feelings towards Simon which proves to be the best thing that ever happens to her as Simon loves, cherishes and takes care of her in a way that totally melted all my antagonistic feelings towards Simon, which were at an all time high during the initial stages of the story.

What I loved most about the 2nd book was finding about Simon’s past from his point of view, which takes the reader along with Meghann on a journey of discovery as to why Simon is the way he is. Though there are no excuses whatsoever for his penchant for debauchery and despicable behavior, you can’t help but empathize with Simon and nod along in something close to understanding as to why Simon turned out the way he is. Simon’s take on his past life opens up the doors to a side of Alcuin, Meghann’s savior in book 1 that I always suspected of, but in the end I was surprised when Alcuin did not turn out  to be a true villain in the end.

It is the relationship that fosters and grows between Simon and Meghann that captivated me throughout the better half of the book as I reveled in the care and attention that Simon languished on the mother of his children. Though Meghann continually swings back and forth between her decision to stay with Simon and completely give herself to him at first, Meghann learns to accept the fact  that some part of her would always wholeheartedly love Simon no matter what cruelties lie beneath his beauty and charm. And it was quite refreshing to see Lee and especially Charles’s view on Simon take a turn for the better as he realizes that the immortal whom everyone keeps saying has no heart finally begins to show signs that he indeed has one, and is vulnerable towards the only woman he has ever loved.

This book invoked so many emotions from deep within me as I read along. Loathing and contempt towards Simon were one of the first strong feelings that took root inside of me during the first couple of chapters as I saw nothing in Simon that was worthy of my treacherous heart’s yearning to see at least one redeemable quality in my villainous hero. However as I read along, Trisha Baker managed to make my emotions do a total 180 degree turn as I was seduced right along with Meghann to fall bit by bit in love with a vampire who would cross no bounds whatsoever in his attempt to keep Meghann by his side. And towards the end, it was deep and utter sadness and a feeling of melancholy that spread through me as I realized that a happily ever after was not possible for Meghann and Simon, as the one thing that was supposed to bring them closer than ever ends up being the catalyst that drives them apart – for now.

I recommend this series for  those who are interested in reading a tale of love between vampires that is a tad different from what you normally encounter. But mind you, these stories are not for the faint of heart because you encounter many vicious and heartbreaking things before you get to the bittersweetness of it all towards the end.

I picked out some quotes from this book as well, scenes that just have to be shared in my review, which otherwise would be incomplete in my opinion.

God, she was exhausted—she had no energy anymore; she used it all up in trying to keep Lord Baldevar from reading her thoughts. Meghann shuddered—wondering what would happen if he knew of her constant, gnawing worry that he’d kill her after she gave birth and then her poor baby would be all alone with the monster.
“Yaahhh!” Meghann started at the icy touch to her cheek and looked up to see Lord Baldevar sitting beside her, holding out a dripping cloth.
“Little one,” he whispered tenderly before she could say anything, “if you don’t stop weeping, you’ll break the heart you insist I don’t have.”

“I don’t know” Charles started to say but Lord Baldevar’s putting one large hand over Meghann’s and gently pulling it from her hair caught his attention. He grasped her hands and Charles would never know what he said to her but the nervous expression left Meghann’s eyes and she smiled again. What did Lord Baldevar do to reassure her?
He reached into his tuxedo jacket and handed Meghann a valet ticket, and she reached up to kiss him good-bye no polite, social gesture but a full, lingering kiss that made Lord Baldevar wrap one long, tuxedo-clad arm about her waist and pull her against him before releasing her with a small groan that reached Charles’s keen ears.
The vampire gazed down at Meghan, and Charles felt the air between them nearly smolder. Good God, he’d never felt such an undercurrent of passion and sensuality as he did right now, observing Meghann with her lover.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

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