Category / Review Requests

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Hot Text by Cari Quinn

Format: E-bookhottext
Read with: iBooks for iPhone
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Jeffrey Maddox
Heroine: Karyn Colette Allison
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: November 2, 2011
Started On: November17, 2011
Finished On: November 17, 2011

With Hot Text, Cari Quinn once again proves to me the reason why she is my go to author when it comes to quality erotica that delivers on all fronts. For some Hot Text might be “offensive” in the sense that sexual relations takes place between a married woman who is on the verge of divorce and the hero. But hey, lets face it; in real life things do not exactly go according to our well laid plans. If it did we would all be married to men who wouldn’t let us out of our bedrooms because they cannot get enough of giving us multiple orgasms. And yes, I digress but I just love the fact that Cari is bold enough and is daring enough to write about scenarios that might not be sometimes well received by 100% of the romance reading population but nevertheless for fans like us who want and crave something different, Cari ALWAYS hits the spot with plots of the said nature.

Jeffery Maddox is the two time divorced older brother of Daisy Maddox whose current beau is the married Lonny James who just rubs Jeff the wrong way. Wanting to do something about Lonny before he can break Daisy’s heart, Jeff takes an opportunity that presents itself and meets up with Lonny’s soon to be ex-wife with the intention of asking her to take Lonny back and work things out.

But from the moment Jeff and Karyn lay eyes on each other, the sparks that fly between them are evident. For Karyn who is a pre-school teacher who defines herself as an average person, who has had 10 years of marriage which had failed miserably when her husband had asked for a divorce is not prepared for her almost forgotten body parts to come alive at the sight of the very fine Jeff whose gruff nature just calls to something deep inside of her. 

A night of unforgettable and decadent sex follows, a night during which every misconception that Karyn has ever had regarding herself and her sexuality is put to bed by Jeff who focuses on her with an intensity that just drives her crazy with wanting. For Jeff, its not just a night of sex and he falls hard and fast only to face the harsh and brutal face of reality come morning when none other than Lonny strolls in.

In my opinion, Cari has done what very few authors manage to do in a novel of this length. She has taken two characters who have no inkling of the other’s existence until the night that changes their lives forever, showed sides of them that both endears and makes them unforgettable to the reader and together with that Cari has pitted them in a situation that you don’t find in the average romance novel. And that’s what made this book a winner for me and of course the out of this world scorching heat that Jeff and Karyn generates right from the very start is worthy of mentioning. 

I loved Jeff’s character right from the very minute he said “Not a screamer, huh? Gonna prove you wrong.” Now, who in the world can fault the man behind that logic is just beyond me. Jeff is someone who is wary of marriage and rightfully so when his previous two marriages hadn’t worked out very well. He is the gruff and taciturn type and not much of a people’s person, but yet in my eyes, Jeff communicates just damn fine when he wants to. I loved his intensity, the way he just takes hold of Karyn and plunges his way into a world of sensuality with her that leaves both of them hungering for more of where that came from. His take charge attitude, the way he solely focuses on giving Karyn a night she would not forget anytime soon and of course the way he can find humor in those little things just made him a favorite hero of mine.

Karyn doesn’t expect her world to turn upside down when she answers the text message she receives from her husband’s mobile phone. And when Jeff turns out to be the man who proves to her in just one night how wrong she has been in neglecting herself, her wants, needs and desires the past couple of years, Karyn knows its time to take charge of her life and let go of the past and fight for all those things that she has accepted as her due. Divorce is hard and messy on anybody and doubly so for Karyn when she cannot make up her mind, when she still cannot fully comprehend the fact that 10 years of her life had just meant nothing to the man she had shared it with when he had asked for a divorce. It is her encounter with Jeff that bursts through the bubble she has wrapped herself in and it is then Karyn realizes that has a lot of “growing up” to do before she can proceed with whatever it is between Jeff and herself.

I loved the concept, the hero and the heroine and of course the neat little epilogue that Cari tucked in at the end. If you like myself are a fan of tastefully done erotic romances that deliver on the not-your-average tropes and a hero to definitely drool over; Hot Text is the novella for you! For fans of Cari Quinn, this is another little goody which would have to tide us fans over until she can publish another decadently sinful novel for us to enjoy!

Favorite Quotes

He didn’t reply but by then she’d found something else to occupy her attention. His eyes.
Though she’d expected them to be as serviceable as the rest of him, they were a smoky blue-gray fringed in dark lashes. Pretty eyes. Even when he stared her down like a cop might a perp. And not just any perp. One who was heavily armed and an imminent flight risk.

She expected an easy kiss. Good, perhaps, but not intense. He seemed like a low-key, moderately passionate person. As she’d been, without the right stimulation.
Without this.
What she got was a glancing blow of lips that soon turned to a furious meshing of mouths and teeth. It wasn’t elegant. It was messy and rough and God help her, bordered on dirty.

Even when she’d fantasized, what she’d come up with hadn’t ever matched this reality. She’d never envisioned a sexy, borderline grouchy guy with a glint in his eye and an erection this tempting. 

He inched in, slid out. Pumped deeper, pulled away. Just as her frustration swelled to a fuckingly epic level, he hauled her hips up, dragging her higher before he sank all the way in, filling her so completely she gasped.
Her flesh stretched, unaccustomed to a man after so long. Each thrust stirred her unspeakably. More than just her p#ssy linked with him when he slid into her. A little part of her heart did as well. 

Karyn reached out to graze his jaw with her thumb, savoring the beginnings of stubble. She’d never seen her ex with stubble. Or with his mouth as deliciously soft and used as Jeff’s.
“How’d we end up here?” she asked softly, not expecting an answer.
“Luck,” he said, turning his head to kiss her palm. “Blind fucking luck.”

Soft strokes and tender words of praise might’ve made her suspicious but his rough manner helped her to trust him. What she saw was what she got with Jeff Maddox. And what she saw, she liked. A lot.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Jasmine Jade

outstandingread

 

Reviewer’s Note: I just had to mention this as part of this review. I was listening to Give Me Everything by Pitbull feat Nayer, Ne-Yo while reading this  and somehow, that song ended up being one that was perfectly in sync with the events that took place in the story.

I loved the following part of the lyrics:

Tonight I will love love you tonight
Give me everything tonight
For all we know we might not get tomorrow
Let’s do it tonight
I will love love you tonight
Give me everything tonight
For all we know we might not get tomorrow
Lets do it tonight
[…]
Grab somebody sexy tell ‘em hey
Give me everything tonight
Give me everything tonight
by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: Bad Kitty by Cari Quinn

Format: E-bookbadkitty
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Erotic Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Hero: Patrick Nolan
Heroine: Nikki Carson
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: October 7, 2011
Started On: September 24, 2011
Finished On: September 24, 2011

The Hero: Patrick Nolan, older than his twin Easton Nolan by six minutes works in the construction business. A man who works with his hands, Patrick has his eyes on the sexy new assistant of his brother.

The Heroine: Nikki Carson works as an assistant to Easton Nolan at Nolan Real Estate. Though partying hard had been the life she had led before, Nikki becomes more goal-oriented and wants to make her life mean something after she gets the job of being Easton’s assistant.

Storyline: Nikki has a serious crush on the hot as sin twin brother of her boss. Though she knows it ain’t wise to muddy up her work life by making overtures to the boss’s sexy older brother, Nikki can’t help but say yes to the wicked proposition that Patrick puts forth on the night of Halloween at the annual Halloween party. Patrick goes on thinking that Nikki has no clue as to whether it is Patrick that she was actually with that night and a repeat performance is certainly in order if Patrick wants to come out with the truth.

First Meet: There is no indication of how or when Nikki and Patrick first meet. But I am assuming it happened during one of those times Patrick had turned up at his brother’s office for something or the other which had sealed both their fates from that moment on.

Time Period: Bad Kitty has a contemporary setting and is told from both Nikki and Patrick’s point of views.

Awareness between Nikki and Patrick: With a Cari Quinn book, you are always guaranteed a scorching hot read with enough sexual chemistry between the hero and heroine to set even your surroundings on fire. Both Nikki and Patrick are super aware of one another, both looking forward to the night of Halloween once again when they would be able to indulge in their fantasies involving one another to their heart’s content.

The turning point: Though Patrick thinks that Nikki doesn’t know the true identity of the lover with whom she had such a clandestine encounter against the basement wall, Nikki has been biding her time, wondering why Patrick continues to act like nothing earth shattering happened between them.
When Patrick finally manages to blurt the truth out, it was a moment of hilarity and tenderness both that turns things around for Patrick and Nikki.

How the relationship grows: There is not much time for the growth of Nikki and Patrick’s relationship as Bad Kitty is such a short novella. However, the book ends with the conclusion that the future shines bright for both Nikki and Patrick and it might not be a moment too soon before we hear wedding bells?

Likes: That fact that Cari Quinn is the author is always enough to entice me to open the glossy covers that grace her books and delve into the stories of the sexy and raunchy fun underneath. But mind you, her stories aren’t just about having a good time in bed, the shower or the outdoors – you name it, and Cari Quinn has the talent to deliver it. But time and yet again, Cari proves to her readers how much she values the emotional aspect of erotica and delivers characters that are both likeable, endearing and sexy – all at the same time.
For me Patrick’s character was the lure that charmed me enough to succumb to his enticing good looks and of course the heart of gold underneath all that.
Patrick makes for a very yummy hero, who has more than a few tricks up his sleeve when it comes to winning over the woman of his heart.

Dislikes: I found myself a bit disappointed with the lack of details of both Nikki and Patrick that would have made this novella much better all around. Though the sex was off-the-charts and trademark Cari hot, I would have loved to know just a bit more about both Patrick and Nikki. And maybe toss in a bit on Easton and Nikki’s best friend Julie as well. *winks*

Recommended for: Fans of Cari Quinn and fans of red-hot short erotic novels!

Momentous Scenes: Nikki and Patrick’s first sexual encounter. Plenty of ice ladies, that’s all I’m willing to divulge at this point.

Favorite Quotes

Patrick was the living embodiment of naughty. He sweat for a living—he worked on houses while his slick, polished brother sold them—and his swagger served as a convincing argument that he knew how to make a woman sweat when the lights were off, too.

She braced one palm on the wall and used the other to bring him inside her more forcefully, tearing away the last bit of civility between them. Her body yielded under his pummeling strokes. Stretching around him, drawing him in that much farther. She couldn’t get close enough.

Purchase Links: Wild Rose Press

goodread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Protecting Paige by Norah Wilson

Format: E-bookprotectingpaige
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: To Serve and Protect, Book 3
Hero: Tommy Godsoe
Heroine: Paige Harmer
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: August 20, 2010
Started On: August 27, 2011
Finished On: August 27, 2011

Protecting Paige, book 3 in the To Serve and Protect series explores the story of how a single mother finds much more than she bargained for in the arms of her sexy and younger neighbor that makes for one of my favorite tropes of romance. 34 year old Paige is a product of the foster care system making a life for herself and her 17 year old son Dillon whom she has brought up on her own after her husband had bailed out on her.

Moving to her new neighborhood, Paige discovers that her neighbor, the taciturn Tommy Godsoe who is recovering from an injury to his hip makes her heart go pitter patter right from the start. Younger than her by a couple of years, Tommy is hellbent on isolating himself to lick his wounds both physical and emotional in private. But in Paige, Tommy discovers a force to be reckoned with as she practically storms her way into his life, making him sit up and take notice of her and Dillon and drawing him into their lives with an effortless ease that leaves him stunned.

When things take a sinister turn and both Paige and Dillon’s lives end up in danger in a plot that Tommy couldn’t have dredged up even in his worst nightmares, Tommy knows that he would die trying to keep the woman who means everything to him alive and well, even if it means pushing his body beyond its limits of endurance after the injury.

What drew me in with Protecting Paige was in fact Paige’s character that is hard not to fall in love with. She may not be a beauty in the classic sense but on the inside she is a beauty that few can compete with. Growing up in the foster care system and later being abandoned by her husband of 3 years in favor of alcohol may have left its mark on Paige, but she doesn’t let it define who she is and that’s one of the reasons why I tumbled in love with her character as the story progressed.

Paige is one determined chick when it comes to those she loves and is protective towards and when she sets her sights on her sexy neighbor who could seriously give a Calvin Klein model a run for his money and looks like he is in dire need of some TLC, Paige bulldozes her way into his life, refuses to give him a chance to say no and worms her way into his emotions and heart just like that. I have got to say that Norah has a talent when it comes to consistently delivering heroines that readers can relate to and Paige is in no way an exception to this rule.

Tommy’s character is a sneaky one I tell you. At the beginning he is grumpy, surly and right in your face rude because his life has turned upside down with a work injury from which he doesn’t  hope he would recover from. But beneath all that surly attitude lies a heart that is steeped in fear of never measuring up, of always failing to meet the expectations of those that depend on him; a remnant residue of a childhood spent with a father who had demanded so much more than a little boy was capable of giving. It is Paige who brings a ray of sunshine into the bleak existence of his own making and it is in her that Tommy finds a reason to try again, to not let the blackhole that his life has become consume him until he has nothing left to give.

I loved the action aspect of this novel that explores the use of canines in police work which is a vital facet of the daily grind of law enforcement agencies. The interesting explanations of dog handling, the full of life relationship between a dog and its handler which is explored to just the right extent lent something extra to this novel that made things that much more compelling for me as the reader.

And of course, worthy of a mention is the secondary romance that develops between Dillon and Rachel, a character whose entrance into the story opens up a lot of possibilities. Maybe if we are very lucky, one day, Norah might write a story for Rachel and Dillon. A girl can always hope!

Recommended for fans of the series, fans of Norah Wilson and fans of younger hero and older heroine romances. This one’s seriously good!

Favorite Quotes

Her lips parted on a shocked gasp, and he took full advantage, sweeping into her mouth. She tasted of surprise and cinnamon and an unexpected innocence, which took the edge off his anger, but did nothing to dull the keenness of his intent. He grasped her face, tilting it for better access to her mouth, and proceeded to kiss her with deliberate, frank eroticism. No gentle request, no teasing enticement, no sweet cling of lips. Just pure, driving sexual demand.

Her tongue was in his mouth, and oh, Jesus, God, she tasted good. Like coffee and brandy and woman. Any thought of resistance fled.
She kissed him endlessly, again and again and again, like she was starving. Like she might never get enough. Like she could eat him alive. It was the sexiest thing he’d ever known.

(Danni) “I was kinda busy on the way back, too,” she admitted, her face reddening.
Tommy frowned. “I thought you said Dillon was passed out?”
“He was, but Derek wasn’t.” She grimaced. “I guess he got a little hot and bothered by the action in the back seat and wanted a little for himself.”
“Chrissakes,” exploded Ray. “Did anyone not get blown on this trip?”
Danni’s gaze came up then, her eyes glinting with tears and suppressed anger. “Yeah. Those of us without dicks.”

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Saving Grace by Norah Wilson

Format: E-booksavinggrace
Read with: IBOOKS for IPAD
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: To Serve and Protect, Book 2
Hero: Raymond Morgan
Heroine: Grace Morgan
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: August 17, 2010
Started On: August 26, 2011
Finished On: August 26, 2011

Saving Grace is book 2 in the To Serve and Protect series by Norah Wilson. If you have already read book 1 i.e. Guarding Suzannah, you would have already met both Ray and Grace Morgan who were a couple even then. At first, I was surprised to know that book 2 would focus on Grace and Ray, a couple who already seemed to have everything going for them. Little did I know that there was indeed a story worth telling, and a lot of hurdles to be crossed before they both could embrace their love for each other in the truest form.

Saving Grace starts at a point that we rarely come across in romance novels. Ray who is reeling from the bombshell that Grace, his wife of 4 years has left him for another man gets the news that Grace has been involved in an accident. Helpless to do anything else, Ray makes his way towards the hospital, reluctant as he is to put his already bruised and battered emotions on the line. There he finds out that Grace has no recollection whatsoever of leaving him, nor that of her association with any other man apart from her husband.

Nursing Grace back to health as she struggles to deal with her memory loss seems to be the cruelest form of torture for Ray who can’t help but feel protective towards his wife even though his heart practically bleeds every time he lays eyes on her. Grace who has no idea of what she has done to earn that cold and distant aloofness that she finds in Ray’s eyes is determined that she wouldn’t lose the man she loves in this world above everything else.

When Ray comes face to face with the fact that both their lives are in danger, and that there is no way of identifying the threat as long as Grace’s memory keeps eluding her, both of them are forced to go into hiding to figure out what to do and to evade those who are hellbent on seeing them buried six feet under. It is this period of forced intimacy that proves to be the pivotal point in the healing process of their relationship, a journey that just left a permanent lump in my throat as I read along.

I loved the way how Norah managed to completely surprise me with this one. I was prepared for more of the same as Guarding Suzannah when I picked this one up. But boy, was I proven wrong right from the first page itself when emotions seeped right through my e-reader and made me impatient to find out every little bit I could about both Ray and Grace. In the end, I couldn’t have asked for a better story, nor a better or more fitting ending for a couple who literally goes through emotional hell and back to finally reach their very well deserved happily ever after. And for someone who rarely cries over books or movies, Norah definitely managed to do just that to me today.

The one thing that totally made the book for me was Ray’s character. From the first page itself, oh wait let me backtrack, ever since I encountered his character in Guarding Suzannah, I have been dying to know what would make the overly polished and controlled Raymond Morgan tick. And Norah certainly delivered on all counts with his character as he totally and irrevocably laid seige on every single emotion I had left to spare and then some. He is tender, generous, kind and on top of all that the way he takes care of Grace even when his heart is being torn into pieces just makes him one of the best heroes ever! And when he does finally let go of his legendary control in the bedroom, all my senses joined up and chanted, “Oh yes Ray baby, you should let go more often!”.

Grace’s character is not one to be left behind as I gush on about the things that worked for me. When I started reading, I was totally prepared to hate Grace’s guts cos in my world, there is nothing worse than hurting a delcious hero for whom my heart just bleeds. But then again, I should have known better and from the moment Grace finds comfort in Ray’s arms whilst at the hospital, I knew absolutely that there was no way that this woman could hurt the man she loves intentionally. I found myself in awe of the way Grace shaped up to a totally new and better version, one with a backbone of steel that earned my wholehearted approval as she sets out to right what she has done wrong and of course make Ray give ALL of himself to her.

Recommended for fans of delicious heroes, fans of romantic suspense and of course fans of the series and Norah Wilson. This is a series that I have a feeling will just continue to get better with each book!

Favorite Quotes

Hot and fierce and impossibly arousing, it was like that day in the car outside the motel. Elemental.
Yes, he was angry; she could feel it in his coiled muscles, taste it in the demand of his mouth and the bite of the hand cupping her head. But it didn’t matter. Anger was honest. Anger was real. Right now, she’d take it.
Ray’s hand raked up under the hem of her loose boxers to squeeze her bottom and she arched into him. Oh, yes, she’d definitely take it!

He caught her hand. “What do you want from me, Grace?”
That was easy. “Everything.” She wanted to touch his chest, but since he held her hand prisoner, she insinuated one leg between his legs, delighting in what it did to his breathing. “I don’t want you to hold anything back. I don’t want you to be so careful with me all the time.”
“Grace….”
“I want you to give me as much as I can take, and then I want you to give me more.”
“Like I did last night?”
His voice was rough, laced with self-disgust. God help her, she’d never loved him more.

“I hope you’re ready for me,” he rasped, rolling her under him, “‘cuz in about five seconds, I’m gonna be inside you.”
“Ray Morgan, I was born ready for you,” she breathed against his ear, even as she guided him to her entrance.
He slid home with one strong thrust. Both of them froze.

Then, suddenly, she was convulsing around him, shimmering, flying apart. Seconds later, he followed, his own release ripping the lid right off his world.
Slowly, like a feather on the breeze, he felt his spirit lilt back and forth until finally it settled to earth again.
Incredible. He’d just had the hottest sex of his life, and he’d had it with his wife of almost five years.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes&Noble

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Lean On Me by Tori Scott

Format: E-bookleanonme
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: Standalone
Hero: Hunter Thurman
Heroine: Sandy Morrow
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 24, 2011
Started On:  August 16, 2011
Finished On: August 17, 2011

Lean on Me by Tori Scott explores a much more tender side of romance from an author who managed to grab my interest after reading her hot little novella Satisfaction Guaranteed. Released on the 24th of July, Lean on Me is a novel that delves into family life, the healing power of love and brings home the fact how communication is a vital aspect of any relationship.

Sandy Morrow is a single mother living alone with her four year old daughter Melanie who is a constant whirlwind of non stop activity. A childcare director by profession, Sandy had lost her husband in a car accident during a freak ice storm two years back and more than anything Sandy mourns for not what she has lost but what her marriage had never been able to give. Independent to a fault, Sandy doesn’t want anything in the world to take that away from her, and shies away from relationships and the opposite sex until the Thurmans move in next door making her sit up and take notice for the first time in two long years. 

Hunter Thurman is a military man who had served his country for a long time as a Special Ops soldier that had taken him away from home for long periods of time. His marriage to Liz hadn’t turned out to be what he had envisioned and finally Hunter returns home for good when Liz dies leaving behind an angry and surly teenage Jason behind. Hunter focuses all his time and attention on finding out why his son resents him so much, an uphill battle all the way when the only form of communication between them seems to be screaming matches.

Everything comes to head when Jason’s car hits Melanie’s tricycle giving Jason the wake up call he sorely needs to get his act together. The accident brings together these two families and the constant intimacy brings to light the fact that the attraction that simmers between Hunter and Sandy is one that cannot be ignored. Its not an easy journey for these two towards happily ever after as both Sandy and Hunter bring to the relationship scars from their previous marriages together with the welfare of both their children to the equation. However with a lot of love, understanding, compassion and a whole lot of conversation with a few sensual scenes tossed in between, Tori Scott managed to deliver a happily ever after that I wholeheartedly approved of in the end.

I found Hunter Thurman and his gentle manner beneath which lies a man who can make a woman tremble in all the right ways to be one of the things that drew me into the story. His previous marriage had turned out to be a stifling one that makes him wary of a repeat experience. But when he finds himself enamored with Sandy and her daughter, the way he brings alive good old fashioned courting together with the stolen kisses made my toes curl inward, and made me sigh in pleasure as his wooing works its magic over a woman who has had her fair share of disappointments when it comes to men.

I loved Jason’s character and how he grew in the story. At the beginning he is a surly, rude and obnoxious teenager with a belligerent attitude beneath which lies a wealth of pain and resentment towards his father for never being there when things had gotten quite bad at home. But with time and the healing touch and understanding from Sandy and a lot of patience on Hunter’s part, Jason turns out to be a wonderful and unforgettable character that I fell for as the story progressed. 

One cannot read this story without falling in love with the cute little Melanie. Her conversations with Jason made me smile at just how simple everything in life seems to be when you are that young, trying to make sense of all the chaos that reins in this world. Endearing is the term I would use to describe Melanie and she is a character that I wouldn’t be forgetting any time soon.

The way that both Sandy and Hunter eventually find love and acceptance in each other was a journey that I very much enjoyed though there were moments that Sandy tended to rub me raw with her constant need to assert her independent nature which she is reluctant to let go of, understandable given her past. But in the end I loved how everything turned out and how Tori Scott managed to squeeze in a cute little epilogue giving me the closure I needed to let this one go. But mind you, I wouldn’t complain if she were to write stories for Sandy’s brother Ryan and Sandy’s best friend Brandy who has a painful past of her own and who knows, maybe even Jason and Melanie? Ah! A girl can always hope! 

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Tuesday’s Child by Dale Mayer + Giveaway!

Format: E-booktuesdayschild
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Valley Publishing
Series: Psychic Visions, Book 1
Hero: Brandt Sutherland
Heroine: Samantha Blair
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: June 16, 2011
Started On: August 14, 2011
Finished On: August 15, 2011

Tuesday’s Child by Dale Mayer is the first book in the Psychic Visions series. 28 year old Samantha Blair (Sam) is a psychic who has a hard time accepting her ‘gift’ as it has brought nothing but pain, humiliation and loneliness into her bleak existence. Growing up in different foster homes that she had found no solace from, Sam now lives alone, practically in isolation where she feels at ease. Working part time at a vet brings her the peace that is her lifeline when her visions practically force her to experience every excruciating detail of what the victims of extreme violence go through until their death comes calling.

35 year old Detective Brandt Sutherland is tracking down a vicious serial killer who hunts and kills beautiful women in committed relationships. Having tracked him to Portland from where he hasn’t surfaced for the past year, Brandt is determined that he would find and stop the killer once and for all, a killer who has managed to fool law enforcement authorities by constantly changing his MO in each kill.

Brandt’s lucky break in his quest comes when his world collides with that of Sam whose visions have practically rendered her into a thin, haunted looking waif who turns up at the police headquarters, determined that she would do her best to inform the authorities of what she knows, even though skepticism may be all that she would receive. However in Brandt Sam finds for the first time someone willing to believe what she has to say and makes her feel safe at the same time.

Being someone who has enlisted the help of psychics in previous investigations, Brandt gives Sam the benefit of the doubt and even then he is not prepared to witness firsthand just how devastating an effect Sam’s abilities have on her. As they spend more and more time together, so grows the protective instincts that flared to life right from the very moment Brandt saw the haunted look in Sam’s eyes and brings forth so many complex emotions right along with it.

But things are far from conducive to the makings of a normal relationship as Sam is brought into the focus of a killer who is cunning and wily enough to do everything in his power to wipe out the only one who has even the remotest ability of stopping him on his mission to wreak destruction.

Tuesday’s child is a novel that has so many interesting facets to it that I couldn’t help but be drawn towards the web of suspense and romance that Dale Mayer so intrisically weaves together. One of the things that held my utmost interest was the unique psychic ability explored in the story. It was horrifying and at the same time fascinating to read about an ability that has such a ravaging effect on Sam and her life. If it were me, I would most definitely have been committed to an asylum with the appearance of my first vision so to speak.

As I read along, I found myself to be in total awe at the strength and courage that emanates from Sam, and her ability to still face the next day regardless of the torture her mind and body undergoes as a result of her psychic visions. She has been alone and lost for so long that she finds it hard to believe that anyone could accept her the way she is. I loved her for all that and so much more as the story progressed and of course the way she opens up to Brandt like a shy flower blooming and basking in the warmth of the sun was something to be savored.

I loved the hero Brandt because he has the capacity to think and accept beyond the norm and has the guts to stay true to himself and what he believes in all throughout. A mama’s boy inside out, Brandt has a charm that slowly creeps in and catches you by surprise, I guess a feeling Sam herself goes through as she succumbs to the warmth, love and security that she finds in Brandt’s arms. A sexy, charming and warm hearted hero who caressed all those tender emotions deep inside of me, I would love me some Brandt any day!

And last but not the least, the way Dale Mayer handles the romantic aspect of the relationship that fosters and grows between Sam and Brandt certainly deserves a mention. I loved the fact that that rather than making it a lust at first sight relationship that explodes in the reader’s face, Brandt and Sam’s feelings are explored at a more believable pace right in line with the reclusive existence Sam has led until now. Though the scenes of passion between Brandt and Sam weren’t overly detailed and explicit, it still managed to tug at my heartstrings in a way I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

The sneak peek at the end of the novel into the next book in the series has certainly piqued my interest and I would definitely be looking for its release which will hopefully be sometime soon. Recommended for fans of romantic suspense with a dash of paranormal to make things more interesting.

Final Verdict: Tuesday’s Child by Dale Mayer is a finely woven romantic suspense with paranormal elements in the mix that makes for a keeps-you-up-the-whole-night kind of read.

Favorite Quotes

He willingly offered her every part of himself for her pleasure. Sam took full advantage. Pushing up on his shoulders, he rolled over onto his back, swinging her on top of him. Sam laughed joyously and accepted the invitation. Using her fingers, her lips and her tongue, she traced, teased, and tormented Brandt until he could stand it no more.
Without warning, Sam found herself flipped over, tucked under him, her legs hooked over his hips. Brandt waited until Sam gazed into his eyes. Then dropping his forehead to hers, he plunged deep.

Closing her eyes, she let her body answer for her. Her lips parted slightly. Her tongue slipped out to caress his thumb. Sliding first to one side then to the other. Brandt bent his head, his eyes absorbed with her every tiny movement.
From under heavy lids, Sam watched his eyes deepen, darken. Sliding her tongue further out, she slowly seductively curled it around the top of his thumb. Instinctively, she’d invited him inside. He couldn’t resist. His thumb stroked the inside of her lips, gently caressing her teeth and the inside of her lips. Sam gently clamped her teeth down on his thumb and tugged it inside. She sucked it very lightly, her eyes wider, watching him watch her.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

Author Dale Mayer has very generously offered to give away 3 e-copies of Tuesday’s Child. In order to qualify for the giveaway, leave a comment behind with your name, a valid e-mail address and just drop in a line telling me why you want to win a copy. Easy peasy right? Don’t forget to leave a comment behind and help spread the word. Giveaway ends on the 19th of August 2011, 00:00 hours Maldivian time.

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Heart Stealer by Tiphanie Thomas

Format: E-bookheartstealer
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: Trilogy, Book 1
Hero: Randall Rowe
Heroine: Kayla Denton
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: April 22, 2011
Started On: August 13, 2011
Finished On: August 14, 2011

Heart Stealer by Tiphanie Thomas which takes place in the small town of Summerdale for most of the story and parts of it in Los Angeles was a book that provoked conflicting emotions in me. It tells the story of how play boy and movie star Randall Rowe finally succumbs to the lure of love and happily ever after, even though the journey he takes towards the final destination is one fraught with difficulties and a lot of growing up.

Randall is the only child of the preacher in Summerdale. When Randall’s dreams and ambitions takes him away from following in his father’s footsteps, it creates a rift between father and son that seems to be incapable of ever healing. At the age of 18, Randall leaves home with Hollywood beckoning him to come and make his dreams a reality. It is when Randall makes his way back home for the first time in 6 years since he left that he meets the stick-thin and belligerent run away from home Kayla Denton.

Kayla runs away from home at the age of 16 after being forced to live with her aunt upon the death of her mother in a car accident that continues to haunt her. Her father had immersed himself in drink, oblivious to the damage it was doing to his one and only child. It is Randall who sees Kayla’s vulnerability and finds a way for her to live with his parents.

The story continues 8 years on, with an all grown up Kayla working as a fourth grade teacher in Summerdale. When once again Randall returns home, this time to mend fences that he has neglected for far too long, the most surprising turn of events seems to be the way he reacts to the luscious older version of Kayla whom Randall has always considered to be nothing but a child.

Kayla knows that nothing can come out of her feelings towards a man whose lifestyle differs so much from hers, who would never be content with settling down to small town life. But with each searing kiss and touch that brings down the walls of reserve around Kayla’s heart and emotions, Randall wins her over making Kayla yearn for so much more than Randall seems to be capable of giving. For a man who has closed off himself for such a long time, relying and depending on someone else is a foreign concept and Randall finds himself hard pressed to be everything that Kayla needs.

It is the differences that they can’t seem to work out that drives them apart until once again it is Randall who comes back, determined that this time around he would convince Kayla that he is here to stay for now and always.

I liked the whole premise and set up of Heart Stealer, quite an appropriate title considering the fact that Kayla steals Randall’s heart whilst he is totally unaware of what is happening. I loved Randall for the fact that he was willing to be the grown up about things, for loving Kayla enough to be everything she wants him to be, even try as far as to open himself up to her even when its the hardest thing for him to do. For me, Randall turned out to be the best thing about the story, his patience and perseverence when it comes to Kayla being what won me over.

Kayla is a totally different story. I found her to be a bit self absorbed and childish, never really growing up enough to tackle the issues that cropped up between herself and Randall in their short lived relationship. Kayla always seemed to be jumping to the worst of conclusions, always willing to look for a mistake that would give her the perfect excuse to give up on a relationship that brings her more happiness than anything else in her life.

Though Kayla’s character turned out to be a trifle bit disappointing, I still liked how Tiphanie relates the trials and tribulations of an actor who wants with everything in his being to make a name for himself in the world of stardom, a man who feels as if the only way to ease the loneliness and pain in his heart is by immersing himself in doing the one thing that he loves.

Recommended for fans of contemporary romances that loosely feature the modern version of guardian/ward romances that you encounter in historical romances.

Favorite Quotes

He leaned in, and his lips swept hers, capturing and rubbing them in a tantalizing tease. Lust rolled through her like wildfire. For all she knew, seconds could have passed, minutes, or an eternity. Too dazed to notice anything except the searing passion from Randall’s lips on hers, Kayla’s tongue dueled and played with Randall’s until her whole body felt like it would combust. She floated back into the sky, a slice of heaven filling her.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&nNoble | Smashwords

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: Deceiving the Protector by Dee Tenorio

Format: E-bookdeceivingtheprotector
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Carina Press
Series: Resurrection, Book 2
Hero: Jensen Tate
Heroine: Lia Crawford
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: August 15, 2011
Started On: August 1, 2011
Finished On: August 1, 2011

You know that uber satisfied feeling that you get when you have read a book that has managed to hit all those spots that crave to be petted and stroked when you immerse yourself in a good book? Well, at the moment I am like the cat who got her full bowl of cream and then some as the 2nd book in the Resurrection series managed to completely woo me and left me spellbound once again with Dee Tenorio’s ability to blow me away with her stories.

Jensen Tate, brother to Alpha and one of the generals of the pack is tasked with the job of finding a female “stray” and bringing her to safety. A job that stirs up feelings that Tate has thought long since buried when he comes into contact with the half-starved, gritty, determined and surly Lia Crawford who seems to call out to the inner wolf inside of him to come out and stake its claim on the woman whose bewitching green eyes show remanents of a hidden fear so deep that it just about tears up Tate on the insides.

Lia knows that there is no turning back for her on the path she has chosen to walk and that neither is Tate supposed to be with her if what he and his brothers have worked so hard to bring about is to remain on course without the vicious hunters on her trail getting to them through her. For the safety of her sister Laurel, Lia is willing to do anything, even put up with the constant darkness that never seems to leave her life, always one step ahead, forcing her to accept the fact that she would never ever be a free woman of her own will.

Tate knows that Lia hides more than she is willing to let on and it drives him nuts trying to protect a woman whose sheer stubbornness alone makes him want to lay her down somewhere and make her forget the dead weight that she seems to carry on her shoulders. As Tate “forces” her to go along with his plans, Lia finds herself charmed by a man beneath whose gruff exterior lies a wolf begging to be petted and stroked and a man whose rough tenderness just about breaks every wall and shield she has erected to safeguard her emotions & heart.

As their trek towards the next safe house continues, Tate comes face to face with the danger that stalks and preys on the absolute fear that it demands from Lia as he finally starts accepting the fact that Lia is his mate for life, if she can just trust him enough to protect her and save her from the evil that refuses to let go.

Deceiving the Protector is fantastic in all the ways that counts. The way Dee builds up her paranormal world, subtly bringing in the details in the midst of the character development is what drew me in. The constant whirl of my thinking cap trying to figure out what would happen next was what I loved most about this paranormal romantic suspense and the reality and horrors behind what Lia underwent at the hands of mad men willing to rid the world of shifters anyway they can just left me with a bad taste in my mouth and shivers of the bad kind running up and down my spine.

Jensen Tate is a hero that practically invaded my heart as layer by layer his character unfolds, revealing a man of immense strength and beauty, though being called beautiful might piss Tate off and make him growl a bit before settling down, but nevertheless that is how I find him to be. A man so worthy of tender touches and healing kisses, whose protective nature refuses to step back and let his mate be the protector instead, no matter how chauvinistic that might seem to be. The reason why I fell so deeply for Tate is how he manages to gently draw out the hidden woman inside of Lia who has been cowering inside, afraid to show herself and refuses to let her return back to the shell of a woman she was before. His charming manner of telling a good story of course had me sighing all over the place and of course nekkid Tate is a sight to savored on its own.

Lia is a heroine who finds the strength to go on against all odds, a woman who has been on her own for so long that she finds the concept of accepting help a foreign one. Nevertheless, her fascination with Tate that continues to grow as they spend time together is one that refuses to be denied, and the need and desire that unfurls deep within her to claim his wolf as hers is one that continues taunt and tease her until she is ready to serve herself to Tate on silver platter. It is Lia’s immense courage and strength that awed me, and the way she perfectly complements Tate and knows how to soothe & appease the inner wolf inside of him and at the same time be a mate worthy enough to stand by his side that won me over.

It is a testament to Dee’s ability that she managed to make a slight part of me feel for the villain who continued to terrorize Lia until his demise, and I couldn’t help a tiny part of myself from thinking that it is the monsters who had carved him into what he turned out to be that should be rotting in hell. I know that the as the Resurrection series continues that everyone would get what they deserve, in fact I’m counting on that to happen so that I can revel in it big  time when their asses get kicked to Hell never to return!

How Dee does it I would never know, but let me tell you I loved every single minute of it! One minute I am practically drooling and panting over the explosive passion between Tate and Lia, the next I am immersed in tender emotions so deep that I just feel like curling into a ball and sighing in contentment and the next thing I know I am laughing out loud at the witty banter between Tate and Lia that never fails to amuse! Kudos to Dee who manages it so effortlessly and made this book one entertaining fest that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon!

Highly recommended for fans of the series, fans of Dee Tenorio and fans of paranormal romantic suspense.

Final Verdict: Delivering a kick-ass paranormal world with a heady mix of suspense and romance that one cannot resist,  Deceiving the Protector is a SHOULD NOT MISS!

Favorite Quotes

Then he stepped into an orchard, on a rise of packed dirt between tree groves, and proceeded not to give a rat’s ass what she might be trying to do.
The scent was finally clear.
And it went straight to his head.
Female. Apples. Cool water. Rich earth. Rain. Sunshine.

Sometimes, she wasn’t sure when she was seeing him, except for those few moments when their eyes met and she couldn’t look away to save her own life. She could see the protector in him then, sense the hunter. Raw strength emanated from him in those moments, his intensity surrounding her, suffusing her. She could almost feel his arms around her, trying to pull her under his protection. She’d be safe with him. Not cosseted, maybe, but…she’d be able to breathe. To know the next breath was coming, sure as the sunrise.

(Tate) “Sure, she can. She also makes a staff out of light that can cut people and the cars they’re driving in half. Five-feet-five-inches of pure power. Even at her best, it’s like having a nuclear bomb for a sister-in-law.”
“Boy.” Lia laughed, and by the look on his face he knew it was at his expense. “She must love you.”
“We have a complicated relationship,” he agreed with a self-depreciating nod. “Sort of a cross between suspicion and fuck you.”

His hands gripped her hips, slowing her descent. She could feel him savoring her, quaking at the feel of her claw tips sinking into his shoulders. His eyes flickered, the gray color she loved having shifted to the glowing yellow of his Wolf. She smiled, bucking against his hold.
“This time, I take you.” She pushed down, filling herself with him. He growled, drowning out her sigh. He squeezed tight, but she refused to be held back. She lifted up, rocking forward before sliding back down, savoring his groan against the beaded tips of her breasts. “I’m claiming you, Jensen Tate.”
Because you’re mine.

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Soul Survivor by Misty Evans

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Favorite Quotes

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

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: The Merzetti Effect by Norah Wilson

Format: E-bookthemerzettieffect
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: A Vampire Romance, Book 1
Hero: Dr. Delano Bowen
Heroine: Ainsley Crawford
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: June 6, 2011
Started On: July 20, 2011
Finished On: July 21, 2011

The Merzetti Effect is a novel that caught my eye whilst I was browsing through Amazon’s book recommendations. Long before that Norah Wilson landed in my list of authors to try out after seeing a review of her romantic suspense novel Guarding Suzannah by author Pamela Clare up on Goodreads. Reading the blurb of The Merzetti Effect sealed the deal for me and to my utter surprise and delight I managed to get this little birdie from the amazing Norah herself who approached me for a review. The rest as they say is history and ever since I turned page 1 and lost myself in Norah’s unique take on the world of vampires, there was no turning back for me – ever.

Ainsley Crawford has just lost her job working as an OR nurse in a Level 1 Trauma Center and the job offer by a Dr. Delano Bowen seems like a godsend to her until she is attacked by a rogue vampire as she makes her way for the job interview. Her savior comes in the form of her prospective employer himself who makes Ainsley think the most inappropriate thoughts of them tangled in the sheets, all sweaty and naked when she fully lays her eyes on the enigmatic and compelling man with an intensity in his eyes that takes her breath away.

Delano is a more than 200 year old vampire who believes that in Ainsley’s blood lies the cure from the virus that rages inside a vampire that drives them to sate their thirst for blood. Though Delano would go to any lengths to keep Ainsley by his side and wants her to remain totally unaware of the potency of her blood on his species, the one thing that Delano never counted on was his libido to sit up and take notice of the one woman whose blood might mean the end of his life.

Undying need and red-hot desire grows stronger and binds both Ainsley and Delano together until the explosive culmination of their mutual want which kickstarts a series of events that Delano never foresaw, nearly bringing him to his knees when his old enemy comes to seek Ainsley for himself, to eradicate the one thing that could destroy his blood thirsty rampage on Earth forever.

The Merzetti Effect is an amazing paranormal romance that introduces us into a fresh take on the lives of vampires, with a few surprises thrown into the mix. Delano is a hero with whom I fell head-over-fangs in love with right from the very first encounter. His intensity, utter control which shreds to pieces with Ainsley and his devotion to do good and right the wrongs done by his species no matter what makes him one of my favorite vampire heroes. And of course I freely admit to the fact that the way he seduces and is in turn seduced by Ainsley was out of this world hot, rendering me into this puddle of goo half way through.

Ainsley is the type of heroine that earns my love and wholehearted approval because there are so many endearing characteristics that makes up who she is. Her fierce loyalty towards those she holds dear, the way she wants to comfort a two century old vampire with whom a deep connection is forged and the way she completely gives into the love that overtakes her without playing coy games is what I loved most about her.

With this novel, Norah has enticed me to want to know more about each and every character that she has introduced along the way. I will definitely be on the look out for future books in this ‘series’ and am definitely a fan of Norah Wilson if the complete and utter ease with which she drew me into the story is anything to judge her other books by. Very highly recommended for fans of vampire romances. This is one book you ought not miss!

Favorite Quotes

And heaven help him, there was that pain again, the one that pierced him to his very marrow and started all that emotion bleeding out of him.
Dammit, he loved her.
He’d been denying it for weeks now, but he could deny it no longer.
Not the giddy drug of infatuation. Not the mind-blowing drive of unadulterated lust. Not the bone-deep need to possess.
It was all of those things wrapped up together, but so much more. It was simple, really. She had somehow become all that mattered.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble 

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