Category / Scorcher!

by mvbookreviewer

Review: A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught

Format: E-bookakingdomofdreams
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Pocket Books
Series: Westmoreland Dynasty, Book 1
Hero: Royce Westmoreland
Heroine: Jennifer Merrick
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 1989
Started On: August 8, 2011
Finished On: August 10, 2011

Judith McNaught’s historical romances are timeless. Timeless I say because no matter how many times one re-reads her stories, it never gets old and there is always something new about the story that captures your attention and holds it until you have turned the very last page. I think this is my 3rd or 4th time re-reading A Kingdom of Dreams and yet again Royce Westmoreland didn’t fail to invoke numerous sighing sessions as I read along and made me want a fierce warrior like him who loves just as passionately when at last he finally does fall for the woman who claims his heart, body and soul.

29 year old Royce Westmoreland aka The Black Wolf is Scotland’s most hated, and most feared enemy. Military life is all Royce has ever known and Royce’s latest command received from the King Henry himself has him gearing up to face the Merrick’s clan of Scotland, the name itself making vengeance boil deep inside of him.

17 year old Jennifer Merrick is the daughter of Lord Merrick, the head of the Merrick clan. From a tender age, impulsiveness and recklessness combined with a desperate yearning to make her father love her, as he loved his stepsons, were responsible for a lot of grievances in her life. Though as the eldest daughter the leadership of her clan should rightfully pass onto her, Lord Merrick thinks naught of women and their capabilities beyond that of rearing children – a fact that hurts Jennifer more deeply than she ever lets on.

When Jennifer and Brenna are captured by the Black Wolf’s army, Jennifer’s sole focus lies in identifying ways through which she and Brenna can make her escape. Royce doesn’t expect that two women could create so much trouble in his camp and in his life when the fiesty Jennifer and her meek sister are brought along which Royce is hoping would end the battle they are all gearing for without bloodshed.

Jennifer valiantly tries and manages to escape captivity only to be caught yet again and though Jennifer knows that true to Merrick’s nature, the only thing she should feel for Royce with his unusual silver eyes is contempt and loathing at best, she is no match for the yearnings that stir into life in the arms of Royce, her enemy. Neither Jennifer nor Royce is prepared for the desire that each feels for the other and for the headiness of a passion so fierce to obliterate everything else from their minds.

Royce convinces himself that lust is the only thing that he feels for a woman who infuriates him and humbles him at the same time. And when his need to possess Jennifer makes him claim her virginity, even then Royce is more than happy to label it away as a mere case of lust for his beautiful and defiant captive.

Jennifer’s heart bleeds for the fact that in Royce’s embrace she feels no shame even though she knows that consorting with the enemy would only earn more hatred from her clansmen. When once again Jennifer escapes Royce’s clutches making him the laughingstock of both England and Scotland, Royce is livid with rage and that is the only thing that drives him to accept orders by his king to tie himself to Jennifer in holy matrimony.

Thus begins a battle of wills that dies a slow death as the passion that exists between Royce and Jennifer burns hotter than ever, cementing a connection between two souls who are so meant for each other. But love and a happily ever after is not an easy one for either of them to achieve as treachery and deceit from Jennifer’s family nearly drives them apart for good until Jennifer comes to realize that her destiny lies entwined with that of Royce and that there is no turning back from the love of a man who makes her feel treasured and safe at the same time.

A Kingdom of Dreams is a romance that provokes the reader into indulging in a dream or two of her own as Royce completely sweeps you off your feet and shows you the reason why romance heroes are worth swooning over. Royce is a fierce man, a battle hardened warrior who has seen so much death and destruction throughout his career that he longs for normalcy and a life that he can call his own. His tenderness when it comes to Jennifer and the way he feels stirrings of righteous indignation on Jennifer’s behalf upon hearing how she has been treated by her own clansmen and family made me fall that much harder in love with him. A true romantic would not be able to read this without falling for Royce, a fact that I am reassured of as I manage to fall for him over and over again every single time I read this book.

Jennifer is a heroine who is worthy of someone like Royce. Loyal, loving, kind and generous, Jennifer’s soul yearns for the day that all of whom she loves would love her back, a day that she would be accepted for who she is, impulsiveness and all. Though at times it feels as if Jennifer is being a trifle bit too hard on Royce, she makes up for it so beautifully towards the end that I fell for the sheer charm she brings into the story.

Filled with a lively and riveting bunch of side characters of which Aunt Elinor definitely deserves a mention, A Kingdom of Dreams is a must read if you are a true fan of romance.

Favorite Quotes

Royce flung her arm aside, and Jenny stayed where she stood, paralyzed with remorse and anguish as she gazed at the beautiful animal she’d inadvertently killed. As if in a dream, she watched England’s fiercest warrior kneel on one knee beside his dead horse, slowly stroking the animal’s glossy black coat, and speaking words she could not quite hear in a voice that was raw.

Her head lifted, and Royce froze in surprise and reluctant admiration for the amazing sight he beheld. Standing there like a wild enraged gypsy, her hair tumbling all about her like golden flames and her huge blue eyes alive with hatred and unshed tears, she slowly raised her hand… a hand which was holding a dagger which she’d obviously managed to snatch from his boot as he spanked her.
And in that unlikely moment, as she held his dagger poised high, ready to strike, Royce Westmoreland thought she was the most magnificent creature he’d ever beheld; a wild, beautiful, enraged angel of retribution, her chest rising and falling with fury as she courageously confronted an enemy who towered over her. He’d hurt her and humiliated her, Royce realized, but he hadn’t broken that indomitable spirit of hers.

His wry tone made Jenny burst out laughing, and Royce found himself captivated by the infectious joy, the beauty, of it. He’d never heard the music of her laughter before, nor seen it glowing in her magnificent eyes. Seated on a pile of lush furs, laughing up at him, Jennifer Merrick was unforgettable. He realized it as clearly as he realized that if he walked over and sat down beside her, there was every chance he was going to find her irresistible as well.

As he spoke, his hand curved round her head, pressing inexorably downward, inch by slow inch, until his warm breath was mingling with hers, and then his gaze lifted, locking with hers. Insistent, knowing gray eyes captured frightened, beguiling blue ones, imprisoning them as he brought her lips down against his. A jolt slammed through Jenny’s entire nervous system, her eyes closed, and his lips began to move on hers, thoroughly and possessively exploring each tender curve and trembling contour.

Perched upon that log, Royce thought she looked incredibly desirable—a charming wood nymph with long curly hair, clad in a boy’s tunic and hose. A wood nymph? Next she would have him composing sonnets to her beauty—and wouldn’t that delight her sire, not to mention enliven the gossip at court in two countries! “Was that question too difficult for you?” he said, his voice sharp with self-annoyance. “Shall I try to frame an easier one?”

Jennifer’s eyes lit with fondness. “Brenna will always find something good to say about me, no matter how shocking my mistakes or outrageous my conduct. She said I ‘sparkled like the sun and moon and stars.’ ” A bubble of laughter escaped Jenny and she regarded Royce with eyes aglow with merriment. “Which of course I did—sparkle, I mean.”
His voice harsh with feelings he could neither understand nor contain, Royce looked at her and said tightly, “Some women need no jewels to make them sparkle. You are one of them.”

Failing to catch sight of the giant, Tom quickly turned his gaze back for a longer study of the entire, famous man, and this time he took in the entire picture before him—a picture that made his mouth drop open in shock and disbelief: The Black Wolf, the most fierce warrior in all England—in the world—was sitting atop his mighty warhorse, with a girl cradled in his arms—holding her as tenderly as a babe!

Lifting his head, Royce stared down into her slumberous blue eyes, and Jenny saw the look of pure satisfaction mingled with puzzlement on his face—”Why is it when you yield, I feel like the one who has been conquered?”
“Why is it,” Royce murmured, gazing into her intoxicating eyes, “that every time you surrender willingly, like this, you make me feel like a king who has conquered. Yet when I conquer you against your will, you make me feel like a defeated beggar?”

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Book Depository

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

I-Review: Consumed by Moira McTark

Format: E-bookconsumed
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd
Hero: Brian Matthers
Heroine: Amber Grayson
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: December 26, 2006
Started On: August 5, 2011
Finished On: August 5, 2011

Visitor: What made you pick up Consumed by Moira McTark?

MBR: I was just browsing through Amazon, wondering which title from my massive TBR pile I should read next when this little number caught my eye with its pretty cover. After reading the blurb I had a major case of excitement over the story and the  next thing I knew I was reading the preview of the book available on Amazon which just whetted my appetite for more and before I knew it I had hit the “Buy now with 1-Click” button and the rest, as they say is history! *sigh*

Visitor: Tell me a little bit about the hero Brian Matthers.

MBR: Brian comes from a family of 3 brothers and 2 sisters and works in accounting at Dyson & Dale. Playing baseball in high school had been the high light of his life back then. Brian is intensely sexy and just sheer dynamite when it comes to wooing a woman in bed and out of it and I would love me some Brian as my next “no-occasion-present.” And on top of it all, Brian has got that tender quality that makes a woman go all mellow on the insides. A man who is not afraid of long-term relationships and commitment, Brian is the reason why we women read romance novels! *sigh*

Visitor: Now tell me a little bit about the heroine Amber Grayson.

MBR: Amber works as a programmer at Claybourn Elliot and yearns for her own happily ever after though she knows that with the high standards that she has set since high school, the man who would fulfill  all her dreams and longings is a long time coming. Amber is beautiful, sexy and knows what she wants and is not afraid to say what she wants as she has gained confidence as a woman over the years though she had been pretty shy in high school.

Visitor: How does Brian and Amber meet for the first time?

MBR: There is no mention in the novella of how Brian and Amber meet for the first time. But rather, Brian had been Amber’s high school crush, a crush that had turned into the center-point of all her wicked fantasies throughout the years. And when a chance meeting at the train station brings Amber and Brian together again, both discover that the incredible pull between them is just too much to turn away from.

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

MBR: Mmm.. Consumed is a pretty well rounded novella that captured my attention and held it from page 1. Reading it one sitting tells just how much the story consumed me as Brian and Amber gave into the explosive passion between them and worked through the hurdles to reach their happily ever after. What drew me in most was the incredible connection that forges between Brian and Amber and even when things head south based upon a misunderstanding, neither Brian nor Amber can turn away from the incredible way that they can make each other feel. That I would say makes for a very heady and enticing pull towards any romance.

Visitor: What was it that you liked about Consumed?

MBR: As I said earlier, Consumed is a story that refuses to let go once you sink yourself into what’s happening. For me, I loved everything about the novella from its beautiful glossy cover to its beautiful yet short epilogue that gave me a sense of satisfaction all around when I finished reading. What I loved most about Consumed was how smoothly the story flowed through, urging me to read on and find out where Amber and Brian were going with their no holds barred sexual relationship. And of course, the creative scenes of passion are just to die-for!

Visitor: What if anything would you change about Consumed?

MBR: Being a story of such short length, I would say it pretty much hit all the right spots with what the story delivered.

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

MBR: Incredibly hot was the scene on the dance floor where Brian takes Amber upon her request making all breathe whoosh out of me in one single exhale. And the variety of sensual scenes that Moira delivers, making each one a memorable one is all I can say without giving away any details.

Visitor: Who would you recommend Consumed to?

MBR: Consumed is an awesome read to squeeze in if you have got around an hour and half to spare. For those who love reunion romances and intense, scorching passion without being overly explicit, Consumed is a definite must-read!

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

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: IOU Sex by Calista Fox

Format: E-bookiousex
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Series: Standalone
Hero: Michael Houston
Heroine: Fiona Leslie Carlisle
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: August 1, 2011
Started On: July 30, 2011
Finished On: July 30, 2011

What was I expecting when I delved into the first pages of IOU Sex by Calista Fox? Certainly not a story written in the first person though amazingly the author made it work for me, delivering a novella that is worth a read if you love contemporary romances with tinge of erotic sexual content included in the package.

27 year old Fiona Leslie Carlisle hails from a prestigious family, her own mother a Judge, the whole family caring more about keeping up appearances than caring about what being a family actually means. Fiona dreads facing her family and her sister who snatched away her fiance’ Seth Corbett III, and knows that the only way to save face would be to show up in the hot little red dress she ordered especially for the occasion, completing the package with the ultra gorgeous and sexy as sin Michael Houston on her arm.

A year ago, when Fiona had her heart broken and her pride in tatters after walking in on her sister going down and dirty with Seth, it had been Michael her good friend who had understood what she was going through and offered her with rebound sex of the mind numbing and body tingling variety. However, the fact that Michael means to her more than just a convenient lay now and then made Fiona run from her burgeoning feelings towards Michael then, a fact that Michael is determined to turn around with the bargain he strikes with Fiona in return for attending the engagement party with her.

IOU Sex definitely surprised me, all in a good way of course, with the character development that Calista Fox managed to deliver with such a limited number of pages and somehow managed to give a satisfying well-rounded romance and happily ever after in the end. Though the story being told in first person meant that I didn’t get to learn more about Michael’s thoughts and musings which I definitely would have loved to know more about, even then the author manages to bring forth the fact that when it came to Fiona and Michael being romantically involved, Michael was well on-board with the plan.

Both Michael and Fiona are well developed characters who sizzle the pages with the scorching intensity of their passion for one another. But IOU Sex is more than just two people getting it on in the bedroom; it is the story of how two friends find within each other a craving that only the other can satisfy and how a woman finds the confidence and courage to let go of the past to grab onto the future with the man who is made for her right by her side. Loved how everything turned out in the end, leaving me a satisfied reader all around.

With a bite of erotic content, IOU Sex is a novella that delivers well and good on both character development and emotions making this a well deserving addition to your TBR pile!

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Against the Wall by Rhyannon Byrd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Favorite Quotes

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

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

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

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Rush of Pleasure by Rhyannon Byrd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Favorite Quotes

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

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Wild Irish by Jennifer Saints

Format: E-bookwildirish
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Weldon Series, Book 1
Publisher: Between Your Sheets Publishing
Hero: Jesse Weldon
Heroine: Alexandria Jordan
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: December 8, 2009
Started On: July 21, 2011
Finished On: July 22, 2011

Wild Irish is book one in the Weldon series which came to my attention when author Jennifer St. Giles tweeted about the availability of this book up on Smashwords for free. Always someone who loves a story that involves a proverbial bad boy with whom the heroine has a shared past with, I didn’t hesitate to grab myself a copy and let myself be swept away on a journey that continually suprised me with just how different this novel turned out to be from Collateral Damage, the one novel that I have read to-date by the author.

Wild Irish written under the pseudonymn Jennifer Saints who also writes under the names of J.L. Saint and Jennifer St. Giles kick-starts this romance with 29 year old Alexandria Jordan, heiress to the Jordan’s shipping empire in Savannah getting ready to say her I-do’s with a man that she feels no burning passion for. With doubt clouding her mind on her last night as a bachelorette, Alexi is bombarded with the memories of a 19 year old Jesse Weldon who had rocked her world and broken her 17 year old heart in the span of one month.

When her fiances indiscretions come to light right before the wedding, Alexi knows that she won’t be able to go through with a union strongly supported by her grandmother and father and runs, straight into the arms of the one man whom she has never forgotten in the span of the twelve years that has separated them.

19 year old Jesse with the proverbial bad boy chip on his shoulder had hesitated to take what was so freely offered to him when his and Alexi’s lives had collided twelve years back. After spendng eight years in the army, mostly in the Special Forces and now owner of his own security company, Jesse is no longer naive enough to let his heart get involved, but wild horses wouldn’t be able to drag him away from claiming the woman whose sinful mouth has haunted his dreams more times than he would like to recall.

Alexi is shocked to the bone when she lets Jesse sweep her away with the heady desire that has always burned strong between them, that makes her forget every proper thought in her head until she says yes to all the decadent ways in which Jesse can make her feel as the most desirable woman on Earth. Jesse who doesn’t believe in love and soul mates nevertheless has a hard time defining how he feels about Alexi as just plain old lust raging inferno through his body as his possessive streak a mile wide comes out to play when Alexi’s life becomes threatened by a mad man willing to through any lengths to make her his.

Filled with highly sensual content that just about took my breath away as Jesse tries his damndest to keep Alexi from leaving by binding her to him with the explosive passion they seem to share, Wild Irish is a book that I enjoyed immensely. Alexi has her work cut out for her with the stubborn Weldon genes that prevents Jesse from believing that the word permanent could be applied to their relationship. But at every turn, Jesse continually surprises her with just how right they are together, if only he would believe it for himself.

Jesse is the type of bad boy hero each woman dreams about, the type of hero that we wish would come up and drive us off into the sunset on his mean looking Harley with the wind whipping more than our hair into a frenzy. The man Jesse grows into is no less lethal, he is in fact more so with his ever abundant need to possess and keep Alexi at his mercy with every trick he has learnt in the art of seduction until now. But what makes the scenes of passion memorable is the fact that the tables turn so quickly on Jesse as Alexi assumes the role of the one in control who drives their mutual desire to a feverish pitch which makes each and every scene of passion between Alexi and Jesse unforgettable!

This is the only romance that I have heard of which came out as a graphic e-book with photos of the delicious Jesse himself with the beautiful Alexi to make things enticing. Because I couldn’t help myself, I downloaded two chapters up on betweenyoursheets.com that are available for free and I am beyond tempted to purchase the entire novel for the 10+ dollars its priced for, because seeing Jesse in all his glory is so very tempting!

Jennifer Saints has definitely surprised me – all in a good way with her ability to draw out mind numbing scenes of passion that in no way hinders the character development and the suspense potion of the novel that unfolds. I am now very much tempted to get a copy of the next book in the series that features the widowed and grieving older brother of Jesse who finds his happily ever after with Alexi’s best friend. And believe me, the pictures available on the freely available chapters just about made me hyperventilate and I bet the heat factor in their story would drive me insane before I’m through!

Highly recommended for those who love stories of bad boys and rich heiresses and for those who love highly sensual romantic suspense novels.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

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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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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Addicted to You by Bethany Kane

Format: E-bookaddictedtoyou
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: A One Night of Passion, Book 1
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Hero: Rill Pierce
Heroine: Katie Hughes
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: June 7, 2011
Started On: July 1o, 2011
Finished On: July 11, 2011

Addicted to You by Bethany Kane is one of those titles that I stumbled upon quite accidentally whilst hopping through Twitter. Upon seeing the cover I was tempted and seeing the “friends-to-lovers” tag scream at me, I was sold and within minutes I pushed everything else aside and loaded up with this delectable piece of erotic contemporary romance, I let myself be swept away on the heady journey filled with all sorts of body tingling moments towards Rill and Katie’s happily ever after.

36 year old Rill Pierce is a brilliant, widely acclaimed writer and director who seems to have lost his way after the death of his wife Eden. Ever since the untimely demise of Eden which had shocked him with the news it had brought forth, Rill retires to the secluded town of Vulture’s Canyon in Illinois where he has been holed up for the past 18 months, licking his wounds which keeps on festering rather than healing. Tortured with the thoughts of how he has failed his wife whom he had adored with his very soul, Rill is a man who seems to be drowning himself in the oblivion that drink seems to bring him when his best friend’s little sister storms into his life, forcing him to face the demons that seems to hound him.

30 year old Katie Hughes is a tax attorney from Beverly Hills who quits her lucrative job because of the feelings of discontentment that seems to be lingering with her of late. Having always had a huge crush on her brother’s best friend who married her best friend Eden in the end, Katie is determined that she would save Rill from the darkness that he seems to shroud himself in. But once Katie turns up to find a drunk Rill who seems to be hell bent on seducing the “Angel” that has turned up on his doorstep, there is no stopping the flood of longing that manifests itself in one of the most explosive one night stands I have come across.

Rill finds that with Katie around, his self imposed exile and attempts to keep his baser nature reined in is a lost cause as his libido awakens with a bang and continues to tempt him beyond anything he has ever experienced before. With each explosive and sizzling hot encounter after another, Katie shatters his already frayed control where she is concerned until at last Rill surrenders knowing that there is no turning away from Katie and the intense connection between them. Though mind-blowing sex is the only thing Rill thinks that he has left to offer to Katie, the consequences of their first night together forces both Katie and Rill to explore their deeper emotions, to let go of Rill’s hold on a past that seems to lessen with Katie in the picture.

Addicted to You is an explosive dynamite of a read with enough sizzle to jumpstart all your nerve endings. Sensory overload is a fact and not just a mere say-so when it comes to the debut novel of the series entitled A One Night of Passion. A story that reels you in right from page one, Rill is a hero I fell immediately in love with, taking in his surly nature behind which lies a heart that is tortured by the events of his past. Katie is my favorite type of heroine; strong, nurturing where its needed and with a heart of gold that bleeds for the pain Rill finds himself in. She doesn’t give up, even when Rill is his meanest, trying to drive away the woman who is a match for him in every single way. Towards the end there is a swing smexing scene that any fan of erotica ought to read. Imaginative and mind numbingly hot is all I’m saying!

Recommended for fans of erotic contemporary romance who loves the friends-to-lovers trope and a high content & variety of sensual material in their stories.

Favorite Quotes

Something swooped up from his chest to his neck until it tightened like a clawed hand on his throat. It took him a second to recognize the sensation as blinding need.

“Don’t make me wait,” he whispered, leaning over and nipping at an earlobe. “I want you so bad I think it’s cutting at me from inside out.”

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

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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

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: The Tantric Principle by Jennifer Probst

Format: E-booktantricprinciple
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Red Sage Publishing
Hero: Grant Madison
Heroine: Arianna Devlin
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: April 1, 2011
Started On: July 7, 2011
Finished On: July 8, 2011

The Tantric Principle by Jennifer Probst is a story that had me grabbing for my non-existent oxygen mask right from the start. Grant Madison, the deeply controlled yoga instructor who indulges in tantric sex pairs up with the energetic and highly ambitious Arianna Devlin, his exact opposite in every way which lends this story that explosive quality that I absolutely loved.

26 year old Arianna finds herself burning out as fast as a candle placed in the midst of a stormy sea and that is when she finds herself seeking Grant who introduces her to an old yoga technique that has her more relaxed, energized and happier than before. The downside of every session is the escalation of her need to be possessed by her instructor whose very touch makes her insides melt with his intensity and electrifying presence.

Grant has been burned before and has a rule about never crossing the line with a student but Arianna tempts him beyond anything he has ever felt. But once these two attend a yoga workshop together, all bets are off as Grant takes control of the situation and gives Arianna the best sex of her life which plays havoc with her emotions in a way that has never happened before. Suddenly their one night of passion is no longer enough and as deeper emotions get involved, Arianna readies herself to take the plunge with a man who is afraid to let go of his hard earned control in bed and out of it.

The Tantric Principle is a sizzling piece of work that any fan of romance that LOVES a high dose of sensuality in their novels ought to read. Though a short novel, the book doesn’t leave the reader hanging and delivers on all counts with a hero whose sinful sexiness alone is enough to make a woman surrender her everything.

Highly recommended.

Favorite Quotes

“Were you avoiding me?” he asked.
He closed the gap. Her back hit the wall. Arianna tilted her chin up and met his gaze head on. “A little.”
The slow, masculine grin that transformed his carved features took her breath. “Good, at least you’re still telling me the truth. Now kiss me properly.” He didn’t wait for her response, just took her in his arms and dived right in. His mouth urged her lips open with a sensual persuasion, then slipped his tongue in the wet depths of her mouth to play. Arianna drank in the heady taste of male hunger and coffee. Her nails dug into his shoulders in punishment and a need she couldn’t seem to slake.
He lifted his mouth from hers and cupped her face in his hands. “Hi, babe.”
Her heart melted.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Red Sage

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