Category / Scorcher!

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Miss Congeniality by Shelly Laurenston

Format: E-bookwhenhewasbad
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Magnus Pack, Book 3.5
Publisher: Brava
Hero: Niles Van Holtz
Heroine: Professor Irene Conridge
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: June 1, 2008
Started On: June 13, 2010
Finished On: June 13, 2010

Oh my god! This has to be one of the most hilarious and witty romances that I have ever come across. Van, a wolf shape shifter, who would one day become the Alpha Male of his family’s pack doesn’t understand the reason why he has always hunted after Professor Irene Conridge ever since he had locked onto her scent seven years back.

Van’s family being one of the richest families in the area, frequently turns up at the fund raising functions for Irene’s university and even the opening dialog itself had me smiling. Irene is a genius physicist who has no time whatsoever for the frivolities in life. She couldn’t be any more different from the sexy and compelling Van even if she tried. Though she had always found Van a trifle bit annoying to say the least since the guy seemed to turn up at every function she attended to discuss her choice of undergarments, one of her experiments puts Irene in danger and it is Van and his pack that rescues her from being devoured by a pack of lions and hyenas.

Van has no choice but to mark her as his mate, though Van doesn’t believe in the folklore that surrounds the concept of marking a mate for life. Currently as happy as a clam with his mission of screwing anything that stands around long enough, Van all of a sudden finds himself uninterested in the plentiful female company that seems to surround him.

Its hilarious to read how these two try to stay away from one another but the simmering and oh so hot attraction that is unleashed right from the very first kiss is enough to keep you warm for all winters to come. Van is the type of hero you cannot go wrong with, someone who is tender, caring, protective and possessive to the right extent whilst understanding the complex genius of a woman Irene is.

With interesting side characters and a bit of danger that crops up every now and then, this is as good a romance can get. I couldn’t seem to put this book down once I started and I am definitely going to check out other books by the author. Her writing style is something you don’t come across every day.

A hot, funny and sensual read that makes for a beautiful romance, and an epilogue that I absolutely loved, this book is highly recommended even for those who do not read paranormal romances.

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

outstandingread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Touch of Surrender by Rhyannon Byrd

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle & Mobipocket Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Primal Instinct, Book 5
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Kierland Scott
Heroine: Morgan Cantrell
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: May 1, 2010
Started On: May 17, 2010
Finished On: May 19, 2010

Boy, was I glad to find out that this story had already been released when I finished reading the previous book in the series which I reviewed earlier. Towards the ending in the book “Touch of Seduction”, the sparks that fly between Morgan and Kierland were scorching enough as it is. And the shared history between the characters which were hinted at made my curiosity rise to levels that refused to be left unattended to.

This story continues the war that is going on between the Watchmen of which Kierland is the leader and the Casus, who are after the Dark Markers which are the only weapons capable of killing the Casus and sending them back to where they came from. To make things complicated Kellan, Kierland’s brother goes into the Casus territory deep in the wastelands where exiled supernatural forces live at to find the witch Chloe who was taken hostage by the Casus and willingly allows himself to be imprisoned.

Morgan and Kierland though they have been avoiding each other for the past ten or so years when things went awry as Kierland refused to give into the desire that Morgan as his student invoked in him, has no choice but team up in the quest to journey through the wastelands to get to Kellan. Though Kierland would like nothing better than to send Morgan off back to England where the Watcmen’s safe house was located at, Morgan’s presence becomes vital for the mission since she is the only one who is able to track Kellan’s whereabouts.

Whilst Ashe Granger a Deschanel who is an ex-lover of Morgan is the only one who can trek through the Wastelands safely joins the search, the intensity of the feelings that Kierland has to face forces him to come to the inevitable conclusion that he and Morgan have no choice but to try and get each other out of their systems. Kierland proposes this to Morgan who accepts the offer which starts off a spine tingling delicious affair where Ms. Byrd does an excellent job in scorching up the pages.

What makes these books remarkable is the fact that both the romance, intense page scorching passion and adventure both play an equal role which makes these books hard to put down. Though I tended to like the previous book a teensy weensy bit better, this book itself is great as well.

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

greatread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Touch of Seduction by Rhyannon Byrd

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Primal Instinct, Book 4
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Aiden Shrader
Heroine: Olivia Harcourt
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: April 1, 2010
Started On: May 14, 2010
Finished On: May 16, 2010

Though I am not much into paranormal romances, I picked this book up on a whim since I remembered reading Ms. Byrd’s Against the Wall and liking her writing style. And since I have hit a dry spell these days on the reading front I decided to give this book a go and came out with a satisfied grin on all fronts!

The fourth book in the Primal Instincts series the first 3 books which I have never come across, this is the book of tiger shape shifter Aiden Shrader and small-town schoolteacher Olivia Harcourt. Aiden has been dispatched by the Watchmen, (a group mixed up of humans with a mix of something else having extraordinary abilities, to keep things on the down low and kill whenever necessary to protect their species) this time to protect Olivia and her niece Jamie whose mother Monica was killed by the Casus, a vile race of immortal creatures who’d been imprisoned over a thousand years ago for their crimes against humanity and the other clans. The Casus were after Jamie to have a taste of what its like to kill someone with witch’s blood running through them, no matter how young the child might be. With no one else to turn to, Olivia has no other options available but to trust this enigmatic man with glowing amber eyes, who kissed her senseless to the point of ultimate surrender during their first encounter.

Aiden, wary of trusting a human after what he went through when he was young, is skittish of the intense (and I say intense mildly) feelings that Olivia awakens inside him. Though Aiden tries hard not to succumb to the powerful connection between him and Olivia, he can’t help but answer the call of the inner beast within him to feel Olivia’s touch which goes a long way towards healing him.

Meanwhile the ongoing war between the Casus and the Watchmen continues, whilst a darker and a more sinister enemy arises that just may end life for the Watchmen as they know it.

Filled with continuous adventure vividly described by the author which made me feel as if I were watching a movie instead of reading a book made this a highly enjoyable read.

Am dying to read the next book in the series which is to hit the stands this month!

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

greatread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: True Love & Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson

Format: E-book
Opens with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Chinooks Hockey Team, Book 4
Publisher: Avon
Hero: Ty Savage
Heroine: Faith Duffy
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: April 28, 2009
Started On: April 27, 2010
Finished On: April 28, 2010

True Love and Other Disasters is the first novel that I ever tried from the list of novels by Rachel Gibson. And this book has stayed with me for a long time afterwards as a book that should be read time and time again.

Although I am not much of a fan of ice  hockey and don’t know much about it, this book is based on an ice hockey team called Chinooks whose ownership is bequeathed to Faith Duffy upon the death of her quite old husband Virgil Duffy who owned the Chinooks Hockey team. Like everyone else, former stripper Faith is surprised by the turn of events and is on the verge of selling the team to Virgil’s son Landon when Landon insults her in front of everyone that matters in the Chinooks team.

Faith comes across Ty Savage, the Chinooks handsome as sin captain during Virgil’s funeral. A man with a larger than life presence, Faith distrusts Ty from the first moment onwards and it seems as  though the feeling is mutual until these two start to rub sparks off each other upon each and every encounter.

Ty can’t get the beautiful and sexy Faith out of his mind regardless of what he does. And suddenly the idea of him and Faith together doesn’t seem that bad when one hot encounter between the two leaves them both begging for more.

Meanwhile, Landon a man who doesn’t forget and forgive easily tries to drive them apart by hitting them where it hurts and nearly succeeds until Ty as the true alpha hero he is portrayed to be saves the day.

This book is a great read, the kind I love the best with a belligerent hero and a wonderfully sassy heroine who knows how to stir things up whenever and wherever they may meet. Highly recommended for all contemporary romance fans!

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

outstandingread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Ride the Fire by Pamela Clare

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle & Mobipocket Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Blakewell/Kenleigh Family Trilogy, Book 3
Publisher: Leisure Books
Hero: Nicholas Kenleigh
Heroine: Elspeth Stewart
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: March 6, 2005
Started On: April 18, 2010
Finished On: April 19, 2010

The first book that I tried from Ms. Clare certainly didn’t disappoint. This story has all the elements that make up a great romance. The web of sensuality that Ms. Clare so cleverly weaves is magical, one that I as the reader got myself lost in.

Ride the Fire is the story of beautiful Scots-Irish Elspeth Stewart and the sinfully delicious Nicholas Kenleigh. On the verge of death, Nicholas accidentally stumbles upon Elspeth, eight months pregnant and living in the harsh wilderness that wasn’t safe for anyone much less a defenseless woman. Somehow Nicholas convinces the skittish Elspeth that he intends her and her baby no harm and Elspeth cares for him until he regains his strength.

Meanwhile, the uprising of the Indians living around the area continues making Nicholas fear for Elspeth and her unborn babe. Though Nicholas has witnessed the evil side of life too many a time and lived through hell and beyond, he can’t help but feel protective towards Elspeth who feels restless and uneasy around his vicinity. Elspeth has always held the notion that men held little regard for anyone else much less the women in their lives. Having lived through episodes of sexual harassment by her step brother which eventually turned her own mother against her, Elspeth has always felt tainted and unclean and unworthy of belonging to anyone. Ever since her husband died her plans have included living alone with her child with no need for a man.

Nicholas changes everything Elspeth has believed in till now. Where Elspeth has associated intimacy with a man with pain, Nicholas teaches her that there is no shame and only joy in the act. Where Elspeth has always associated men with brutality, Nicholas shows her in the best of ways how tender and loving a man can truly be. Both Nicholas and Elspeth who have had so much suffering in their lives find in each other a joy none can turn their backs on. And Ms. Clare has done an excellent job on keeping the adventure going at full pace with the sensuality level at an all high! My my!!

This book is highly recommended for those who love their romances with a good dose of sensuality. You would definitely not be disappointed with this novel. I wanted a Nicholas for myself after reading this book. Yes ladies, he is that good!

Till next time then! I presume I would be catching up on reading all the novels by Ms. Clare pretty soon!!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

outstandingread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Test Me by Dee Tenorio

Format: E-booktestme
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Travis Carmichael
Heroine: Vetta St. Claire
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: November 27, 2007
Started On: April 11, 2010
Finished On: April 12, 2010

Dee Tenorio has  officially landed on my auto-buy list after reading this book of hers. She did end up on my to be read author list after I reviewed Betting Hearts which was an awesome book of re-read worthy material, best friends turning into lovers romance. This book too is a great romance with a high dosage of sensuality that delivers a powerful addictive mix of romance and passion which made it impossible to put down once I started on it.

Travis and Vetta are both geniuses, scientists who share a building together who work on their own research projects. Its been seven years since they both first met and though Travis and Vetta are continuously at each others throats, Travis has always been the one constant in Vetta’s life which has always been sort of lonely with a billionaire father who is absentminded at the most and a beautiful actress of a mother who has a string of ex-husbands a mile long.

All the antagonism in Travis and Vetta’s relationship comes to a standstill when Travis walks in on a bare naked Vetta which makes Travis stand up and take notice of things he never thought possible about her. Vetta never thought she would feel the burning need to be possessed by Travis, someone she doesn’t even like.

While Travis works towards finding a cure for cancer and barely has the funding to make ends meet, Vetta who comes from a rich family has all the time in the world to choose any research project that fancies her interest. Travis could never understand how a person who as brilliant and talented as Vetta could throw away the opportunity to do some good for the world rather than work on some harebrained scheme Vetta seems to continually cook up. Now Travis is at the end of his rope, with his funds drying up and only option available is to up and leave.

However his plans of leaving take a detour once the explosive passion between Travis and Vetta takes center stage. Though Travis tries hard to keep the relationship on a purely sexual level, its hard when Vetta slowly sneaks up on him and inevitably he falls as much in love with her as Vetta is in love with him.

That doesn’t mean its going to be a happily ever after for the two, but rather when Travis gets offered the opportunity to work for a professor from his university days, Travis is all set on leaving everything that has come to mean something in his life behind. But Vetta is not one to give up without a fight and before the story is up, these two face their worst fears and work towards accepting that life without the other would be an impossible one when they have found a love so perfect after so long.

Great read, highly recommended for those who love a sexy hero with a heroine who is no shrinking violet with the bite of red hot passion to make things interesting.

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

greatread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Hero:  Jack Devlin
Heroine: Amanda Briars
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: October 13, 2009
Started On: March 13, 2010
Finished On: March 19, 2010

Ms. Kleypas always writes the most beautiful romances, regardless of whether it be historical or contemporary, though people tend to like her historical romances better. This book too is unconventional for a historical romance where Ms. Kelypas has created a heroine who doesn’t seem to follow all the conventions, rules and regulations that bound the lives of women during 1800’s.

Amanda Briars is an author, a spinster & a virgin going on towards the big three-O. Wanting to divest herself of the virginal state, she goes to one of the famous brothel houses in London and asks a man to be sent to her house on the night of her birthday to help the process along. Just like the title says, Amanda finds herself that night suddenly in the company of Jack Devlin. Without knowing to both of them, the madam who runs the brothel has played matchmaker behind their backs, perhaps knowing what they both needed and wanted better than themselves.

Though Amanda defied all convention and society rules when she requested for a male escort, she begins to doubt the wisdom behind her impulsive decision when she suddenly finds herself ensnared by the rather charming and devilish Jack.

Jack doesn’t know what hits him when he first encounters Amanda on her doorstep. A notorious publisher whose rising fame had pointed him towards Amanda with the rights to her first book which he wants to publish, Jack didn’t have a clue that the Madam had set him up for this when he asked her whether he knew of Amanda Briars. But Jack can’t help but be intrigued and want Amanda for himself though he knows that his less than savvy background and his tightly reigned in emotions are not what Amanda really needs.

However within the course of a few weeks, these two are entangled in a heady affair. Like the book cover dictates, this is one of the most sensual romances of Ms. Kleypas that I have come across and my, my! Amanda sets the terms of the affairs to be for a duration of three months, which however as the gossip circles start to stir with the knowledge of their rampant affair, Amanda brings their affair to a hasty conclusion though she would give anything to be with Jack and love him for the rest of her life.

Jack, unwilling to give all of himself to Amanda licks his wounds in private though he is like a haunted man after the abrupt end to their affair. Amanda is soon been courted by the respectable Hartley and a marriage seems to be on the horizon when Amanda comes to realize that she is pregnant with Jack’s child.

This story is refreshingly heartwarming with descriptions of Jack’s vast publishing business which seems to unfold right in front of your eyes with Ms. Kleypas’s brilliant descriptions. The best thing about the romance of course as a female reader was Jack and his  total concentration and care for Amanda during the whole book though he refuses to acknowledge of his love for her till the very end.

And when Amanda finds out that she is five years older than Jack, ah! thats a scene that would remain with me for a long time! *winks*

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

outstandingread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Broken by Shiloh Walker

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Rafferty, Book 2
Sensuality: 4
Publisher: Penguin Group
Hero:  Quinn Rafferty
Heroine: Sarah McElyea
Date of Publication: March 2, 2010
Started On: March 4, 2010
Finished On: March 5, 2010

This is one book that I have been waiting like forever to get my hands on. Forever as in when the author announced that this book would be released on March 2010 sometime last year. And looking at the yummy cover which makes my heart flutter just a tad each time, who wouldn’t want to read this book?

I read Fragile the first book in the series, the story of Luke Rafferty, Quinn’s twin brother sometime back and enjoyed every minute of that book as well. Though I was thinking of taking a shot at re-reading Fragile because there was a glitch at Amazon in the Kindle version of Broken that was sold, I had to wait for an agonizing period of time until I could figure out how to strip the DRM from mobipocket books so that I could read the book on my Kindle. I have given up on the idea of re-reading Fragile for now cos a summary of Fragile is related at the beginning of this novel. Maybe sometime later I will give it a shot once again!

As I always say, Shiloh Walker is one author that you can never go wrong with. At first, this story seems like your average abused wife running away from the abusive husband story. But I was in for a pleasant surprise when there was a twist at the end unlike anything I could ever have imagined.

Quinn and Luke although twins were separated at birth. Quinn got to live with his alcoholic abusive mother who never made him forget the fact that Quinn wasn’t wanted in this world. Quinn never even realized that he had a twin until at last during one of her drunken sessions, Quinn’s mother overdosed and left him alone with no one to turn to. Though Quinn wanted nothing further from being placed in a state home, he was in for a surprise when Quinn’s birth father came to collect him and though Quinn refused to give an inch and trust another human being to be kind towards him, finally coming to realize that his father wouldn’t abuse him physically and emotionally like his mother had done gave him at least a semblance of normalcy when growing up.

Now Quinn is a bounty hunter, chasing after those who skip bail and bringing them to justice. And then comes Sara with her wide brown eyes and sexy curves that has Quinn drooling all over right from the start. Sara is woman whose on the run, moving from one place to the other always with an eye out for trouble and never taking the time to get acquainted with people whom she meets.

However from the moment she meets Quinn, nothing on earth could have stopped these two from propelling towards one another. Hot intense need has these two scorching up the sheets in no time. Though neither knows anything about the either, love, the emotion each of them had been afraid of creeps into their hearts and catches them unawares.

Nonetheless, duty comes calling when Sara finds that its time for her to move again. With a hastily scribbled note to Quinn, she takes off, only for Quinn to find her. This Quinn is a mass of seething anger and resentment at being lied to and made a fool of and two people who are as wary of trusting people as these two suddenly find themselves at a loss as to how to handle the situation.

Emotionally gripping and sexually charged, this novel bears all the classic signatures of what makes Shiloh Walker’s stories mouth watering. Although Guilty Needs would always remain my favorite novel and Colby my most favorite hero by Shiloh Walker, Quinn himself makes for a deliciously heart warming hero and Sara a heroine who complements and completes Quinn in every way. Great ending to a great story which has me grinning from ear to ear after ending the story.

Keep em’ coming Ms. Walker.

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

outstandingread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Photo Opportunity by Jess Dee

Format: E-bookphotoopportunity
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sensuality: 4
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Series: Tanner Siblings, Book 1
Hero: Daniel Tanner
Heroine: Amy Morgan
Date of Publication: May 2, 2008
Started On: February 28, 2010
Finished On: March 1, 2010

I never get tired of reading romances where friends turn into lovers. A romance is that much more delicious when a couple has shared history that goes way back. Anyhow reading this novel opened me up to Jess Dee’s writing style which I have to say is pretty catchy. Most probably Jess Dee would end up on my to-be-read list of authors as this book is pretty good.

Daniel Tanner (Danny) has always loved Amy Morgan (Amy) since their high school days. But Danny has never tried to make a move on Amy and they have both continued to be the best of friends always being there for each other in times of need. However things change when Danny takes on an assignment to do a photo shoot of a  children’s oncology ward at one of Sydney’s hospital. There Danny comes face to face with the reason why he has been commitment phobic for so long and realizes that he loves Amy more than anything to keep wasting time running after other women who meant nothing to him.

Amy has no inkling that her best friend for life has these strong feelings towards her. From a very young age, having witnessed her father cheating on her mother and finally abandoning them and the one single time that Amy did try to have a serious relationship with a guy, the fact that he too cheated on her in the end hasn’t bolstered Amy’s confidence much. Amy distrusts all men in general when it comes to leaving her heart vulnerable to them.

However, she is in for the surprise of her life when Danny puts into motion a plan to seduce her in the most wicked ways and to make her fall as crazily in love with him as he has been in love with her. However Danny’s plans backfire because Amy cannot seem to place the much needed trust in Danny as she should have, which irked me a bit because Danny had never done anything to her to deserve otherwise.

But all in all, a good story. I liked it because it wasn’t all about the touchy feely love scenes in this book, but rather well developed characters which gave the reader a good insight into why and when and how they both fell in love with one another and got the happy ending they deserved in the end.

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

outstandingread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Coming In Last by Shiloh Walker

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Sensuality: 4
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Jamie McAdams
Heroine: Andi Morrow
Date of Publication: July 30, 2006
Started On: February 24, 2010
Finished On: February 25, 2010

Andi grew up in foster homes and other such state child care centers ever since she was abandoned by her parents when she was 5 years old. Growing up, Andi learnt the tough lesson of never relying on anyone but herself to see things through. Now a nurse working at the day care at a private firm, Andi is also an author of romance novels though no one knows about this secret career of hers.

Jamie is a private investigator whose godfather Jeb is one of the president’s of the firm at which Andi works. Jeb hires Jamie and his partner Mick to find out who has been embezzling money from the company. At first with the help of Art Letcher the money guy of the company, all clues point towards Andi been the one who had stolen money. But as Jamie and Mick dig a little further, they realize that Andi is innocent and that the real thief was doing a good job of framing an innocent whilst he/she was going to get away with more money than that had initially been identified as stolen.

Without Andi’s knowledge and Jamie’s heartfelt disapproval, Mick hatches a plan to catch the real thief by using Andi as bait. However, Jamie feels like a heel because he has fallen in love with Andi and he knows that Andi is the woman that he has been waiting for all his life. Andi too feels the intense connection and its not long before these two hits the sheets and burn their way through them with the intense passion and heat these two generate.

But once Andi finds out the extent of Mick’s and Jamie’s plans, Jamie’s worst nightmare comes true when Andi wants nothing to do with him. But in the end, everything works out and the bad guy is caught, and Jamie and Andi gets the happy ending they both deserved.

Not one of Walker’s greatest stories but enjoyed it.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

satisfactoryread