Category / Self Published

by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: Separation Anxiety by Cynthia Justlin

Format: E-bookseparationanxiety
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: The Remnants
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Jack Martello
Heroine: Rebecca Cooper
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: September 13, 2011
Started On: December 13, 2011
Finished On: December 14, 2011

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 90 A
The heroine 90 A
Story line 90 A
Emotional Intensity 90 A
Story’s ability to suck me in 90 A
Heat & Sensuality
 90 A
Conflicts within the story 90 A
Writing Style 100 A
Quotable Factor 50 C
The Ending 90 A
Overall Grade 87 A

Score Sheet Summary

Separation Anxiety was a novella that sucked me in right from the very beginning. Though I had to revisit my copy of Her Own Best Enemy to remember who Rebecca was, I was immediately drawn into the way Rebecca was struggling from her past to do even the most simple things like diving off into the swimming pool.

For a woman who suffers from agoraphobia, it is her worst nightmare come true when an escaped convict takes her hostage in her own home, the utter lack of control on how the next few hours or days might pan out being the worst thing someone like Rebecca has to confront. I loved how Cynthia portrays Rebecca’s fears, her struggles and her many attempts at overcoming them which I know wouldn’t be an easy one.

In comes burnt-out hostage negotiator Jack Martello whose shared past with Rebecca makes the mission he embarks upon a doubly risky one. But the woman he encounters with fear radiating from every pore is one that clutches at his heart, the attraction that he had always felt for the first woman he had fallen for a part of him even now.

Cynthia makes their relationship work amidst moments filled with terror and the unknown and makes the passion that bursts forth between them something that they both hold onto even when things go from bad to worse.

It shows an author’s remarkable talent when she can make a novella of this length work for a situation such as the one she explores in this book, a fact that would always keep me coming back for more of her books in the future!

For fans of Cynthia Justlin and for those who loved Her Own Best Enemy and thought that Becca deserves her own happily ever after; Cynthia created this story just for you!

Favorite Quotes

“See how good it can be, Becs. I do this to you and you,” he reached up, captured her hand and drew it down to his erection, “you do this to me.”
She gasped and yanked her hand away. He chuckled. Scooping her hand back into his, he kissed her palm and placed it over his thudding heart.
“You do that to me too.”

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

awesomeread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: 10 Ways To Steal Your Lover by Dee Tenorio

Format: E-book10waystostealyourlover
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Short Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Love By Numbers, Book 1
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Kane Wilkensen
Heroine: Delilah Anne McGavin
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: December 14, 2011
Started On: December 16, 2011
Finished On: December 17, 2011

I am a sucker for Dee Tenorio’s books. Her books are filled to the brim with scorching heat, humor and a love that just sears right through you before you are done. So I found myself taking a little detour from my reading schedule as soon as Dee announced the availability of this book up on Amazon. And let me tell you, with that explosive Chapter 1 that just right about fried up half of my grey matter, 10 Ways to Steal Your Lover drew me in and refused to let its hold on me go, even long after I was done.

Kane Wilkensen has been lusting after and been in love with his best friend Craig’s fiance Delilah Anne McGavin for the past 3 years. Though Kane tries to distance himself from the temptation that is Delilah, their upcoming nuptials brings him back to Delilah, and by a twisted turn of events wakes up with Delilah in his arms, with his ring on her finger.

Though neither Delilah nor Kane remembers all the events that led both of them to wake up with Kane buried to the hilt depp inside of Delilah, both of them know that for the first time in their lives they have found the missing piece that just makes everything else around them fade away to insignificance. With more questions than answers and Kane’s undying resolve to show the woman he loves to distraction that he is the right husband for her, Kane and Delilah embark upon a mission to find the missing pieces and in the process finds that for both of them, there would never be any other.

If you are a fan of scorching sensuality and haven’t ever read a book by Dee Tenorio, you are seriously missing out on one of the best the genre has to offer. As I said earlier, from the eye opening and senses awakening first chapter itself, Dee had me glued to the pages to find out how Delilah and Kane would fare towards the end. Kane is such a delicious and devastating hero on the senses. He is the type of hero that I love, a bit broody with a quiet intensity that practically leaves me breathless. And when all that intensity is focused on bringing undying pleasure to the woman he loves – ladies, just be warned that you are going to need a long cold shower afterwards.

Delilah was such a lovely heroine. She grows up never finding where she fits in with a father whose whole life had been focused on serving the military with a rigid discipline to him that makes it hard for Delilah to measure up to his expectations. And with her fiance, Delilah had tried hard to fit into the mould that is expected of her, ignoring the messages that her body sends her whenever Kane is around, tempting her to just let go and embrace the one man who gets her as she is. I loved the way she blossomed under Kane’s love for her, and in the way she makes Kane see that he is wrong in trying to make the most important decision in her life for her, just because he loves her that much.

One of the most colorful characters in the novel turned out to be Delilah’s grandmother Rainbow, a character as colorful as her name, who kept reminding me of Mulan’s grandmother in the Disney cartoon. Now I am eagerly awaiting the release of the next set of books in the series, Craig’s book which is to come out in 2012.

For fans of contemporary romances with heat levels that is guaranteed to spike up your internal thermometer, Dee Tenorio’s 10 Ways To Steal Your Lover would be a treat for the senses. With a beautiful epilogue tucked in at the end, I loved everything about this novel and cannot recommend this highly enough!

Favorite Quotes

Delilah cried out, lifting her head. The only truth that mattered right now was how much she needed him. Powerful thighs flexed against her own as he began to move. He reached for her, pulling her up, against his chest, his hands clasping her breasts, mouth open on the back of her neck. He drew hard, pumping up into her relentlessly, meeting her rocking motion back to him. Her head fell back on his shoulder, her own hands latching over his. Their fingers wove together, their bodies moving as if they’d been lovers for years.
As if they’d been made for each other.

Usually, when he came in these dreams he woke up still thrusting into ruined sheets, his face pressed into a pillow.
This time, he was most assuredly still balls deep inside Delilah McGavin, his face pressed into the mass of silken black hair now that they’d fallen to their sides on a bed far too nice to be his. Like him, she was gasping, trying to catch her breath. She was also bonelessly limp, her sweat slick body slathered over his, their legs tangled, their sexes still throbbing against each other, fitted together like a lock and a key.
He finally moved, walking those few feet between them. Without hesitation, his hands slid around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Her hand slid up his arm all by itself, grasping the hard muscles there. The warmth that seemed a natural part of him spread into her. Smoothly, his mouth found hers, gently grazing her lips before settling more firmly. She moaned as he tasted her, coaxing her to open for him. When she did, her eyelids fluttered shut and the whole world utterly disappeared.

He finally pulled away, not letting her get further than a few inches, their hips still pressed tight, her gaze held willing captive by his. “It’s me,” he murmured. “And I’m telling you right now, Delilah Anne McGavin, if I have my way, it’s going to stay me for the rest of our lives. You’re mine now and I’m going to do everything in my power to prove it to you.”

“I’ve known since the first moment I saw you and every day after has only made me surer. I see who you are, right down to your soul. I know you’re the kind of woman who gives of herself, completely. I know the promises you make mean more to you than the cost. I know that family is the most important thing to you in the entire world. But most of all, I know that you feel exactly the same thing I do—we belong together, Del. You’re the piece of me that’s been missing all my life and I can tell just looking that I’m the same for you.”

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Dancing on Coals by Ellen O’Connell

Format: E-bookDacingoncoals
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Gaeten
Heroine: Katherine Grant
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 29, 2011
Started On: December 9, 2011
Finished On: December 10, 2011

You know those books that refuse to let its hold on you go even long after you are done? Yep, Dancing on Coals by Ellen O’Connell is one such novel that I lay thinking about long after I was done. The characters, the passion, the violence and the undying love between two people who are so obviously two halves of one just kept coursing through me, wishing that I could keep on reading their story forever.

The year is 1881 and Katherine Grant is on her way home to New York after travelling throughout the country. The only girl amongst 5 boys, Katherine had grown up running around with her brothers in different parts of the world ever since their mother had died when she was 6 years old. The only reason she had left home unknown to her family had been because they had not believed in her when she had needed it the most, and as Katherine figures, what her family doesn’t know cannot hurt them.

But when armed robbers attack their stagecoach and everyone else but Katherine is killed, her savior comes in the form of Nilchi, an Apache warrior whose lean good looks and fluency with English puts her at ease even with Nilchi’s older brother Gaeten glowering at her, hatred spitting from his eyes at every turn.

But not long after, Gaeten and Katherine are forced to team up, Gaeten’s promise to his younger brother on his deathbed the only reason that prevents Gaeten from testing the sharpness of his knife against the white woman’s throat. Gaeten’s hatred for the White runs and courses deep through his veins. The haze of rage that blinds him is a vicious one ever since his parents had been killed by white men when he had been just 9 years old. But through every harrowing escape that Katherine and Gaeten make together, he comes to realize that even if Katherine is a white woman, the courage of an Apache runs through her blood.

Ellen O’Connell writes romances that are a dying breed in present days. Her honest portrayal of life what it was like back then, the violence, bloodshed, thievery and murder that was part of the daily life comes across vividly and there isn’t one aspect of the novel that I would change. The setting, the characters and the way she brings forth the connection, the sizzling attraction and the oh so strong love between Gaeten and Katherine was just perfect.

Gaeten’s thoughts remain hidden until Chapter 9, the only way to garner his feelings being by how Katherine views his expressions and his behaviour when it comes to her. Even bound by his promise to his brother, Gaeten would like nothing more than to leave her behind, but unbeknown to him, the connection that is forged between them during their escape and trek through the wilderness binds him to her, even when Gaeten tries so hard to deny it. I was halfway in love with him even way before that, the minute he charged into the story on horseback, intent on killing the woman who would later turn his life around. And as the story progressed, I was mesmerized by Gaeten, the way he slowly transforms and leaves behind the black rage that surrounds him, the healing which comes from Katherine’s acceptance of him, just the way he is.

Katherine is the type of heroine that is trademark Ellen O’Connell. She creates them courageous with an inner beauty that makes it inevitable that the reader would fall for her as well. Katherine is a practical woman, who had turned away from her fiance back home when he had done something she would never abide by. Even when fear for her life at Gaeten’s hands makes her tremble, she doesn’t back down, making it that much harder for Gaeten to dismiss her as just another white woman. The way she accepts, loves and desires Gaeten just the way he is makes for one of the best aspects of the story, the way she “tames” her fierce husband reason enough to revel in this story.

Exceptionally crafted as is usual for Ellen’s novels, Dancing on Coals is a novel not to be missed for fans of the genre. To read the beautifully done afterword is enough reason to read this novel, the research that Ellen has done to write this story one that shines throughout and one that I applaud wholeheartedly.

Favorite Quotes

He entered her in a single hard thrust, opening her, stretching her and forcing a moan of surprise from her. She was ready, so ready, and yet totally unprepared. She’d been wrong. She was still virgin to this, to his strength and her need, to the pleasure and the pain and the sheer triumph of having him. He drove into her and she rose to him, clutched him tighter, harder. Her nails raked and dug into his back, her teeth into his neck.

“Your skin is white, but I think the white god made a mistake, or maybe he did it on purpose to play a joke. He gave you an Apache heart.”

She toyed with the top button of his shirt. “Do Apaches kiss?”
“The people believe the mouth is only for eating.”
“Oh.” She didn’t try to hide her disappointment.
He shifted her against him a little and cupped her breast with one hand, his thumb rubbing across the nipple. “They also believe a woman’s breast is only for nursing a child.”
Lowering his mouth over hers, he ran his tongue between her lips, exploring her tongue, making her shiver with a stroke along the roof of her mouth.
When he raised his head at last, she whispered, “I’m glad you’re an unbeliever.”

Facing him, she saw what she didn’t need to see to know. Even if most wives experienced being washed by a fully aroused, naked husband, they would never know this — a man no words had been invented to describe, beyond handsome, beyond beautiful. His skin glowed copper in the light from the fire, shadows emphasizing the curves of muscle and planes of bone. His erection was hers, for her.

If a man could taste wind and fire, they would taste like Katherine. When he stood in high places looking down on things made small by distance, he tried to feel what the eagle felt soaring free on the wind. He was an earthbound man. Only his spirit could ever soar, and only Katherine raised him so high.

He entered her slowly, determined to keep a tight hold on the lust pounding in his veins. She wrapped her legs higher, took him deeper and deeper. Her hands dug into the muscles of his rear, urging, telling him what she wanted and what he needed were the same. He obeyed and thrust harder, driving into her not with anger but with a desperate raw need. He felt her climax, her body arching, tightening and contracting around him as she cried out against his neck. He shuddered with the intensity of the explosion that wracked his body and spirit and wrung a deep cry from him.
“Katherine.” I was afraid. I missed you. I love you.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Intrusion by Cynthia Justlin

Format: E-bookintrusion
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: The Remnants, Book 2
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Cameron Scott
Heroine: Dr. Audra McCain
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 22, 2011
Started On: December 4, 2011
Finished On: December 8, 2011

With Intrusion author Cynthia Justlin cements her position into my list of favorite authors for the romantic suspense genre. Ever since I read Her Own Best Enemy I have had my eye out for Cameron Scott’s story and receiving a request for review by Cynthia Justlin for his story just made it that much sweeter.

With his bummed up knee and shattered self confidence, all 33 year old Cameron Scott (Cam) wants is to prove that he is on top of his game. A former Communications Sergeant in Special Forces, Cameron had never met a code he couldn’t break with a little patience and a good dose of ingenuity. When Cameron tries to take on an expedition to prove that the existing security at the Nanodyne Technologies is not an impenetrable one, he lands himself in more trouble than he ever foresees.

30 year old Dr. Audra McCain is the brains behind a top secret project at Nanodyne Technologies that entails the creation of a body armor suite that could mean the end to heavy casualties in war zones. But when the armor during its final stages gets stolen and by a quirky twist of fate both Cam and Audra tops the list if suspects, there is only one thing left for them to do while dodging the law and the one man whose entire being is focused on getting to the armor. That is to put their heads together and come up with who had stolen the armor in the first place.

Cynthia Justlin has a way with creating broken characters, let them make huge mistakes along the way to test their worthiness to each other and in the end the happily ever after that comes remains to be that much sweeter. For me, both Cameron and Audra proved to be such characters who needed a little bit of faith and a whole lot of love to light up their lives so that they could achieve their own sweet little happily ever after.

When it comes to Cameron, he is the guy who hides behind a veneer of charm and lazy humor behind which lies a tortured soul that blames himself for the way he let down his team back in Afghanistan. Having never forgiven himself for his impulsiveness that had brought all sorts of shit raining down on the team with his just getting away with a bummed knee doesn’t sit well with Cameron. Even then, he is a guy that hasn’t lost all hope or faith in humankind, and in Audra he sees the woman he is meant to be with for the rest of his life.

Audra is another story altogether. She suffers from abandonment issues, has emotional scars left over from being shuffled over from one foster home to the other when growing up. And she hides behind her work, keeping to herself and never letting herself get attached to anyone until Cameron shows up in her life making her feel the tingles of wanting through the fog of nothingness and emptiness that surrounds her heart.

When Cameron and Audra are pitted together, it is Cameron who hopes for a future with Audra, this switch of opposites unlike the norm a refreshing one. Though I had envisioned Cameron to be a more forceful hero, his brand of standing up for what he wants, that streak of impulsiveness that years in the military hadn’t curbed out him and the way he falls for Audra flaws and all was exactly what Audra needed in order to embrace the truth that Cameron means so much more to her than just a night of passion between two people.

I loved how Cynthia brings all elements of the story together, going as far as to create a villain for whom everything doesn’t go according to plan either. His plans are thwarted from the start making him that much more impulsive and dangerous to contend with. And since its always the norm for villains to have everything going for them, especially at the beginning of the story, this was such a refreshing change.

Cynthia ties up the fast paced action and adventure aspect of the story together with heat of the toe curling variety, one which she delivers upon very well. Cameron and Audra’s undeniable need for one another makes for heady reading and I loved every minute of the sensual haze within which they lose themselves in.

Recommended for fans of action based romantic suspense with a hero who just makes your heart go pitter patter and a heroine who definitely needs a dose of exactly that.

Favorite Quotes

He yanked her into him, and covered her lips with his before she could protest. Pain radiated around his kneecap and down his leg, but it was so damn worth it for one taste of her sweet mouth. His tongue stroked the delicate seam of her lips and she stiffened, her jaw tensing under his fingertips.
Don’t pull away. Not yet. He hadn’t tasted his fill.
He caressed her cheekbones, traced their delicate curve until she sagged against him. Her lips softened and he nipped at her mouth until it parted for him. Blood thrummed in his veins. He plunged his tongue inside her mouth and slid his hands into the damp, silky curls of her hair.

“Look at you.” His throat contracted in one long swallow. He ran a finger between her breasts, down her belly to the elastic waistband of her sweats where he dipped a teasing caress underneath it. “I could feast on you all day and never get enough.”

“Like what you see?”
He arched a self-assured brow, and she couldn’t stop a bubble of laughter from popping in her chest. “Yeah, I like what I see.”
“Good.” He eased on the bed next to her and she scooted back to give him more room. His fingers trailed up the flat of her belly to her breast, his thumb scraped across her nipple. “Because I love what I see.”
Except he wasn’t looking at her body, he was looking at her—into her—as if he could see all her fears and flaws and accepted them.

He hauled her completely on top of him.
His mouth ravaged hers, hot and hungry, his hands guiding her hips over him. He entered her, filled her and she cried out at the overwhelming pleasure that shook her body.

Her orgasm hit her with the force of a molecular explosion, tiny particles of energy bursting and swirling inside her. Before she could catch her breath, Cam was right there with her, shuddering his own climax, and drawing her into his fierce embrace.
He kissed her, his hot tongue sweeping inside her mouth. Another wave of shivers wracked her body and she clutched at his shoulders desperate to hold on to a shred of her common sense amidst the tide of emotions charging between them.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Shattered by Kate Kelly

Format: E-bookshattered
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Jay Rawlings
Heroine: Tess MacLean
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: September 5, 2011
Started On: December 1, 2011
Finished On: December 2, 2011

Shattered by Kate Kelly is a novel that hit the e-book stands on September this year. A romantic suspense that features a stalker killer and a past from which both the hero and heroine are trying to find their way out of, Shattered was a novel that I enjoyed reading.

When 27 year old Tess MacLean makes her way back to South Dakota after a 3 year period, its not at all how she has envisioned a return trip home back to everything familiar would be. With a killer close to her heels, Tess runs to the only person that she can count on, her ex-fiance Jay Rawlings who made it painfully clear to her during their last encounter that she was no longer needed in his life.

Jay is a man who kids himself into believing that all is right in his world by pushing away that nightmarish night from 3 years ago when everything in his professional and personal life turned upside down. Refusing to give anything a second chance to shatter his world once again, Jay believes that keeping people that he cares about at arms length is the way to live. However, once again when Tess tumbles into his life, needing him more than ever, there is little he can do to say no and turn her away.

Rusty skills that Jay has not used for far too long help him uncover the clues as to why Tess’s life might be in danger, the clues opening up a whole lot of mess that seems far more serious than he had believed at first. And to say that Tess once again opens up old wounds that has far from healed is an understatement.

Jay and Tess’s love had been a fiery and all consuming one before their future had vaporised right in front of them. And once again, those old feelings hit Jay with full force until he has no choice but to give in and experience that heady magic that had once been his life until he had pushed away the one woman who means everything to him.

A killer who is far too close to home than either Tess or Jay envisions stalks them both, biding his time until towards the very end where Jay has to confront his past demons once again to find closure from the nightmares that have been a constant presence in his life for far too long.

I loved Tess’s character far more than I loved Jay. Maybe it had something to do with that inner courage within Tess that refuses to give up or maybe because she is the straightforward type of heroine that I love so much. For me, Jay was a trifle bit too caught up in the past, maybe rightfully so at first, but there were times when I wanted to poke him in the chest and point towards Tess and their happily ever after. But in the end, Kelly managed to deliver an ending that fits, her writing style which is what made the story work for me at all times.

Shattered is a story of second chances blended well with suspense elements that guarantees an enjoyable read. Recommended for fans of the genre.

Favorite Quotes

Jay’s large body covered her. Oh God, the welcome weight of him. His mouth descended on hers, not asking, not seeking, but demanding she meet his need. She wrapped her arms around his neck and arched up into him as her tongue darted into his mouth, met his, and mated in a hot, heady tangle.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

goodread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: On Thin Ice by Anne Stuart

Format: E-bookonthinice
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Ice, Book 6
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Finn MacGowan
Heroine: Elizabeth Pennington
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: September 15, 2011
Started On: November18, 2011
Finished On: November 18, 2011

Anne Stuart announced about the release of the On Thin Ice, the 6th book in the ICE series when I had long given up hope that there would ever be another book in the 5-star series that I had enjoyed immensely from the minute I picked up Black Ice. For me, Anne Stuart is one of a kind; an author who manages to deliver heroes in a league of their own, passion that absolutely scorches through the pages and a love when it comes, binds the hero and heroine for all time to come. And On Thin Ice turned out to be exactly what I hoped and envisioned it to be as I finished this in almost one sitting, just taking breaks for those essential stuff in between.

36 year old Finn MacGowan is an agent of the infamous Committee, taken captive by the members of the Guiding Light that operates in Callivera, a small war-torn country in South America. Having been held captive for three long years, Finn is looking forward to the night he would make his third and final attempt at escape; the reason that he has been kept alive for as long as he has which still remains a mystery even to him.

31 year old Elizabeth Pennington, the sole heiress to the Pennington Pharmaceutical dynasty arrives in Callivera seven months back and works with the Catholic Charities of Callivera until one brutal day when everyone she holds dear is killed ruthlessly and Beth is taken captive. 

Beth’s savior comes in the form of the Irish man Finn who makes no secret of the fact that he would willingly leave her behind if it would mean an easier escape for him. But from the very first moment these two opposites are pitted together, Finn has a hard time acting the part of his usual cold and ruthless self around Beth who stirs his senses and literally sets him afire. Blaming his intense attraction towards the skittish and almost virginal Beth as an effect of his 3 year dry spell placates him somewhat but deep down inside, Finn knows that Beth is far more dangerous to his heart and mind than any other woman he has ever known.

A trek through the jungle, with the vicious members of the Guiding Light at their heels hell bent on vengeance and revenge, not to mention the nefarious plans of a member of the CIA tracking their progress all throughout in his own personal vendetta, the adventure aspect of the novel is as hair raising as they come and I fully enjoyed every nail biting minute of it.

The attraction between Finn and Beth is a strong and visceral one that just about took my breathe away with the sexual tension that fairly leaps out of evey single one of their encounters. Finn is the type of hero I love to allow into my dreams. Ruthless and dangerous enough to kill for those whom he loves, with an inner core of tenderness towards that one woman who rocks his world in all the ways, I would love myself a Finn any fine day! I think Finn might come a very close second in my favorite hero list from the ICE series and that is saying a lot when all of the heroes in the ICE series are unbeatable and one of a kind in their own unique way.

Beth is the type of heroine that Anne Stuart does so well. Though in her thirties and richer than the average woman could ever hope of being, Beth is calm and serenity itself and believes herself to be one of those women who would never enjoy the act of sexual relations and steers clear of anything and everything that might lead to it. Her awakening is a slow one, the senses that stir into life and makes her yearn for those things that she cannot for the life of her seem to be able to voice one of the most invigorating aspects of the novel. The way Finn seduces her, not with poetry and flowers but his brand of loving that is hard and branding in its own right just about melted me on the very spot!

I loved how characters from previous ICE books came together in this novel and learning tidbits of their lives at present just warmed me up from the inside. I especially loved the last chapter that serves as a sort of epilogue which I nearly jumped up and down after reading because lets face it, Anne Stuart is famous for leaving the reader begging for more with her books.

Everything about this novel spells perfection right from the very start though there were certain editing errors here and there which I didn’t mind overly much. The only drawback; there is a feeling of finalty with how the novel ended which I think signals the end of the ICE series. I am practically a pretzel at the moment from crossing all my limbs together in the hope that I be proven wrong in the near future.

Recommended for fans of the ICE series, fans of Anne Stuart and fans of ruthless and dangerous heroes that no other hero can ever hope to compete with!

Favorite Quotes

(Beth) “You can’t leave me behind!”
“I can and I will, if I have to break your neck to keep you from following me.”
“I’d like to see you try.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” His voice was flat, unemotional, but even in the darkness she could see the faint flicker in his eyes. She looked behind her, at the crumpled body of the pot smoking soldier, his head at an odd angle, his eyes open and staring.
“Oh, God,” she whispered, horrified. What had seemed a strange kind of nightmare was suddenly, terribly real. “Did you kill him?”
“No, the tooth fairy came along and took care of him.” 

(Finn) “You’re sure you’re not a sister?” he tossed back at her, his voice little more than a growl on the night air.
She was closer than he thought, making decent enough headway on the steep hill. “I’m an only child.”
Stupid, he thought. “I’m asking if you’re a holy nun.”
“I told you, I’m not a nun, holy or otherwise.”
Okay, she met the criteria for fuckable. 

He halted abruptly, and this time she did slam into him, but at least it was his back absorbing the blow of her soft body. He could pretend to ignore it. “What have you got on your feet?” he growled.
“Shoes.”
He looked down, his eyes accustomed to the inky black. Light-weight sneakers, already soaking wet from the damp undergrowth. “Christ, woman,” he muttered.
“I didn’t exactly get a chance to choose my wardrobe when they kidnapped me,” she said.
Damned if he didn’t like her. 

The vibration of laughter increased, and for some reason it did even more to warm her than the heat from his big, strong body. “You know, Sister Beth, you’re a dangerous woman.”
“You said that before, and I assume you’re being sarcastic.” She was too sleepy to come up with a real argument, too warm and safe for the first time in days to bestir herself. “I can’t imagine anyone more pathetically weak than I am. What could I possibly do to you?”
“Sweetheart, you could make me fall in love, and that’s fatal.”

He moved around the wide counter, silent as always. She was sitting on the floor, her arms wrapped around her knees, her fist in her mouth to try to quiet her sobs, and he realized he hadn’t actually seen her cry before. [..]
She must have felt his eyes on her, for she suddenly swallowed her sob on a choked gasp and looked up at him, her huge, sorrow-filled eyes a sharper pain than the knife slash.
He moved slow enough, so as not to spook her, to give her plenty of time to move, but she stayed where she was, her huge eyes looking into his, and she fucking broke his heart, if he still possessed such a useless organ. 

Without his shirt she could see just how bony he was, probably twenty or thirty pounds under his fighting weight from his years in captivity. He loomed over her, and she finally understood her ambivalence. He had protected her, killed for her, led her to safety. He was safety.
But he was also big and raw and so elementally male that it made her teeth sweat. She’d spent most of her life blissfully above the calls of the flesh and the dark, desperate couplings that subsumed others. She didn’t like sex, didn’t want sex. Body parts were simply that. She looked at MacGowan and thought about sex.

There were times when she was honestly afraid of him. He could kill, had killed for her on a number of occasions, seemingly without a moment’s hesitation or an ounce of regret. He was mercenary, brutal, charming, devious, and yes, any other woman would think he was sexy as hell. Not her.
Not her. Oh hell, yes, her. The way he moved, as if he understood his body better than any man had a right to and knew just how to use it for a woman’s maximum pleasure. The way his gray eyes slid over her, coolly caressing. It meant nothing, it was part of his stock in trade, and yet she felt it slide over her skin like a physical touch.

He caught up with her outside her doorway, when she almost gave up. He said nothing, simply pulled her into his arms, against his strong, hard body, and his hand slid beneath her hair, tilting her face up to his. “No more running away?” His voice was rough.
His eyes glittered down into hers, and if she wanted tenderness it wasn’t there. Simply a dark, naked heat sparking between them.
“No more running away,” she said.

He wanted her hands on him, he wanted her mouth on him, he wanted to take her from behind, leaning over the bunk, he wanted her to go down on him, he wanted everything he could possibly think of and more. He wanted it hard and nasty, gentle and sweet. But most of all he wanted it now.

She could feel the hot tears pouring down her face, and she pressed it against the stone. MacGowan, you stupid bastard, she thought. Why did you have to go and get yourself killed? I care about you.
Care about you. Stupid phrase. She knew the truth, and right then the least she could do for the man who’d died protecting her was to admit it. She was stupidly, idiotically in love with him. He didn’t deserve it, she was smart enough to know better, but all the rationalization in the world didn’t help. It simply was.

Purchase Links: Amazon

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Leather, Lace and Rock-n-Roll By Mia Dymond

Format: E-bookleatherlaceandrocknroll
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: SEALS Inc., Book 1
Publisher: Self Published
Hero: Jayden Hawke
Heroine: Rachel Newberry
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: September 8, 2011
Started On: November 13, 2011
Finished On: November 14, 2011

When Mia Dymond approached me with a request for review, it was Outspoken Angel, the next book in the series that actually caught my eye. Little did I know that book 1;  Leather, Lace and Rock-n-Roll would turn out to be such a fabulous read and that in order for one to enjoy the second book to the max, one certainly has to read book 1 first to become truly invested in the wonderful, quirky characters that Mia has created in this series.

Rachel Newberry is an architect, sought out by the mega-rich and constantly in high demand and uber busy, which suites her just fine. The one thing she has learnt from her painful and humiliating past is to never take her professional reputation for granted, and that is one reason why Rachel remains always in control of her emotions, especially when it comes to the opposite sex.

When Cameron, her best friend urges her to let go and attend the Jaydon Hawke concert, little does Rachel know that she is skillfully being lured by a group of Navy SEALS who are undercover and hunting down a terrorist with whom Rachel is suspected to be involved.

From the moment that Jayden meets Rachel, the attraction that simmers between them lights up the pages, drawing the reader into a world of sensual haze whenever they are together. Rachel is more than reluctant to get involved with a rock star who has hundreds of screaming and wanton women after him at each corner of the world.

For Jayden, Rachel is a lure that he cannot deny, his mission be damned. Having never had to work for a woman’s affections before, Rachel certainly throws him into a loop wondering what it is that he has to do in order to win her trust and affection. And when Rachel becomes the target of vicious attacks, all bets are off and Jayden is prepared to do everything in his power to keep her safe and in his life for all time to come.

Leather, Lace and Rock-n-Roll is such a great read and I am surprised that more people aren’t aware of its existence. Multi-faceted characters lend this story a richness that makes this such a compelling read, the heat and sensuality between Jayden and Rachel of the scorching variety; just the panty-melting kind.

Cameron’s character is one that really drew me in, and Max who is the head of the operation who constantly butts heads with Cameron just made me smile and at times laugh out loud with the sassy banter between them.

Leather, Lace and Rock-n-Roll is a diamond of a novel, with its hidden layers and multiple facets that just makes for an unbeatable reading experience. There is plenty of humor in the story, Rachel whose serious nature misleads one to think that she wouldn’t know what to do even if a joke comes and slaps her on her forehead. But the underlying sense of humor she has makes for one of the best parts of her character.

Rachel is quite vulnerable, especially when it comes to Jayden because she doesn’t think she is the kind of beauty that people would expect someone like Jayden to have in his life. How Jayden proves her deliciously wrong at every turn was what made him such a compelling and sexy hero.

Though I loved many aspects of the story, there were certain bits that could have really made this into an all out fantastic one. I would have loved to know more about Jayden for instance, his history and how he came about and his life before he became a SEAL/rock star. And though I felt that Rachel catapulted a bit too easily towards the end, Jayden does make up for everything in the best way possible.

Recommended highly for those who love romance, humor, and bits of suspense together with huge hunks of male leads in their stories and sassy banter throughout. Loved this from start to finish and cannot wait to dig into Cameron and Max’s story which is beckoning me from my bookshelves even as I write down my review.

Favorite Quotes

Rachel returned to the circle of his arms and thought she might possibly combust. Even the summer night breeze that moved the silk against her torso couldn’t cool her. Braced against her car in the moonlight with his shirt fully open this time, Hawke posed as her own personal Adonis, poised for her touch.

FREE Download Links: Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Nightfall by Norah Wilson

Format: E-booknightfall
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: A Vampire Romance, Book 2
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Aiden Afflack
Heroine: Samantha Shea
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: October 28, 2011
Started On: November 2, 2011
Finished On: November 4, 2011

I still remember my first Norah Wilson with the fondest memories. The Merzetti Effect, her first book in The Vampire Romance series is one I still recall at the oddest moments, the hero Delano Bowen one of my utmost favorite heroes and needless it is to say that I have been awaiting eagerly for the second book of the series which turns out to be Nightfall.

Nightfall tells the story of Dr. Delano Bowen’s most trusted friend and vampire hunter Aiden Afflack. Aiden, a vampire himself has made it his lifelong mission to hunt and kill rogue vampires who prey on weak humans, who feeds on their helplessness to boost whatever high it is that they get from preying on the weak.

Samantha Shea is a photographer; the type who captures the beauty that is nature in its most violent forms. Quite accidentally Sam’s unerring visions that leads her to the freakish happenstances of nature collides with that of Aiden’s presence alerting her to rogue vampire activities which puts her in the path of the too sexy for his own good Aiden.

When Aiden finds out that Sam has an innate ability which lets her hone in on rogue vampires, Aiden finds himself striking a bargain with the woman whose photographs adorn all his properties in the various parts of the world to help him and his mentor in their quest to prevent the nefarious activities of vampires who go rogue.

From the very first moment that Sam lays eyes on Aiden, she can’t deny the powerful lure that the sexy vampire is on all her senses. Though Sam would like nothing more than to bury her head in the sand and forget that Aiden and what he does exists, the inherent goodness deep inside of her doesn’t allow her to stand aside whilst she has the ability to do something to help.

Aiden has never found himself at the receiving end of a woman who has ever been able to say no to his charms ever since he embraced vampirism more than a century back. But in Sam, Aiden finds a woman who is helplessly drawn to him as he is to her and yet draws on that inner strength to say no until she is well and ready to surrender. Being never one to back down from a challenge and because Sam intrigues him in a way that no woman has in a long, long time, Aiden finds himself in a game of seduction that proves to be as alluring for the reader as it is for Sam.

Aiden and Sam’s story is quite different from The Merzetti Effect in the sense that it is less intense in nature. Aiden though a vampire and a hunter of his own species is a pretty charming guy with a heart that believes that the choices he had made which had turned him a vampire are ones that he should be ashamed of, which makes him tortured enough to be that more alluring.

Aiden and Sam together is a heartwarming combination. They tend to have the best conversations and I say this because through each and every single one of them, I found a reason to smile and be completely immersed in their banter even through the most hair raising moments of the story.

Sam’s character once again proves how Norah ALWAYS manages to deliver heroines who are so easy to fall in love with right from the very start. The way Sam admits her growing attraction to Aiden without being all coy about it, and how she gives all of  herself  to him when she realizes the error of her ways were facets of her character that I fell so much  in love with.

The romance and attraction between Aiden and Sam which starts out with the I-must-have-you-now type of lust and transforms into a love so tender and beautiful towards the end was one of the best aspects of the story. Though Norah does introduce us to a couple more intriguing characters about whom I would LOVE to know more of, together with the tough and sexy Eli Grayson, sadly there is no indication as to whose story she would publish next in this series. 

Though Nightfall didn’t turn out to be as fantastic as the first book which still remains my favorite, I still enjoyed this vampire romance immensely and would recommend this to fans of Norah Wilson and fans of vampire romances featuring a sinfully sexy vampire hero who just makes your toes curl  in anticipation whenever he is around!

A romance that flows smoothly and is beautiful in its sensuality, Nightfall is a novel that once again proves Norah’s ability to never fail in delivering exactly what the reader wants!

Favorite Quotes

If she could give the fiercest storm a corporeal human body, this is what it would look like. Beauty and violence, all rolled up in one gorgeous, terrible package.

And then — holy mother of God — he smiled at her. A knowing, toe-curling, sex-drenched smile.

(Sam) “Wait a minute … there are others like you?”
He offered her his best grin, the one the ladies loved. “Honey, there’s no one like me.”

She turned away in dismissal, only to have him grab her hand and whirl her around again. Before her startled gasp died, his mouth was on hers, his fingers buried in her hair. […]
He tasted like nothing she’d ever tasted before. Like dark fantasy. Like the sweetest temptation imaginable. And his scent! He smelled of cool night air and warm leather jacket and heated male skin.  

(Aiden) “Sam, honey, I can smell your scent when you’re at the other end of your house, on a different floor. I can feel your heartbeat in my head. Your blood … it’s in me, Sam, enriched from the meals I cook for you with my own hands. Believe me, baby, I’ll know you’re there. And I will never hurt you.”

She kissed him back with a fervor that betrayed her anxiety, her relief. Rolling her hips, she pressed her breasts into his chest, felt the thudding of his heart against hers. God, if she could crawl into him, it might just be close enough.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Smashwords

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: My Fierce Highlander by Vonda Sinclair

Format: E-bookmyfiercehighlander
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Untitled Series, Book 1
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Laird Alasdair MacGrath
Heroine: Lady Gwyneth Carswell
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 27, 2011
Started On: October 27, 2011
Finished On: October 29, 2011

Gwyneth Carswell, the daughter of a wealthy English Earl finds herself banished to the Highlands, to the care of Donald MacIrwin a distant second cousin of her father’s. Believing the words of a smooth talker who had seduced and then dumped her when she had gotten pregnant with his child had been Gwyneth’s downfall, and for the past six years Gwyneth had been living in the Highlands where violence is the norm of life.

For Gwyneth whose gentle upbringing in England had taught her to love peace, rearing her son Rory amidst the constant whirl of violence is a trial in itself. And when she stumbles across the injured man lying in a war torn battlefield, even knowing that harboring the enemy would most likely get her killed or worse, the healer within Gywneth refuses to turn her back on the man who calls to something inside of her that refuses to be denied.

When Laird Alasdair MacGrath, leader of the MacGrath clan opens up his eyes to see a bonny English lass tending to his wounds, he is confused by the tingles of desire that rises forth at the most unexpected moment. Ever since his wife had died two years back, Alasdair had stayed true to the memory of his wife whom he had loved and adored till death had snatched her from his life.

When circumstanced find Gwyneth and her son Rory seeking refuge with the MacGrath clan, the awareness that had sprung forth from that very first day of their acquaintance multiplies until both Gwyneth and Alasdair have no will left in them except to embrace their desire for one another. Gwyneth who has experienced nothing but humiliation and at worse pain at the hands of men, whose banishment from life as she had known it had come because of her wanton desires for a man finds herself trying to resist Alasdair and the temptation he presents at every turn.

Alasdair who vows that he would never fall in love again and make himself vulnerable to an emotion that can tear his world apart finds himself slowly falling into the clutches of just that emotion as Gwyneth and Rory work their way into his heart, body and soul. The fierce desire within Alasdair to claim, protect and cosset Gwyneth surprises even him because of the strength of his feelings towards her, but Alasdair knows that for him, there would be none like Gwyneth ever.

My Fierce Highlander by Vonda Sinclair turned out to be an engaging read and for someone who isn’t much of a fan of Scottish heroes and their kilted form, I found myself imagining the sexy, handsome and vibrant Alastair with a kilt and just nothing else. Alastair is such a devastating hero, devastating I say because he makes no pretense of his feelings towards Gwyneth, doesn’t hide behind anger and resentment because of his feelings towards Gwyneth that makes him such a delicious hero. Though at times I cringed a bit from all the flowery compliments he bestows on Gwyneth, it is apparent right from the very start that when it comes to Gwyneth, Alastair would lay down his very life to protect her and her son.

Gwyneth survives in the Highlands because for her son Rory who means the world to her, she would do just about anything. Even if it means marrying a man twice her age, who is abusive at most or seeking refuge from the enemy until she can provide the kind of life she dreams of for her son, Gwyneth is prepared to do all that and more. The one hitch in her well laid plans comes from her desire to possess and be possessed by the only man who has ever stirred her senses and leaves her wanting more with each encounter.

But Gwyneth is a woman who is willing to sacrifice even her own happiness for the well being of her son and the turmoil she faces when Rory’s father plunges them into mayhem amidst the war and treachery from the MacIrwin’s clan nearly drives her into committing to spending the rest of her life in a loveless marriage, yearning for the fierce touch of her highlander.

Alastair proves time and yet again that he is willing to move heaven and earth to keep Gwyneth by his side and though Gwyneth keeps turning him down at every turn, Alastair still keeps coming back for more until the very last encounter drives him away from her with his heart torn into pieces, with her memories keeping her image very much alive in his mind.

I right about gave up on Gwyneth almost towards the end of the book, but decided to forgive her because she makes up for it at the end, proving her love and loyalty to a man who deserves all that and so much more.

Highly sensual and romantic with constant adventure to keep the adrenaline running, My Fierce Highlander by Vonda Sinclair rates as a great read, recommended for fans of the genre, and those who love a fierce yet tender hero who looks mighty fine in a kilt at any given time.

If you read My Fierce Highlander and enjoy it like I did, you would be left wanting to know more about Lachlan, Alastair’s younger brother who could charm the very devil, whose story has already been published this August. Now to find the time to read his story is the one teeny tiny problem I am left with…

Favorite Quotes

Gwyneth.
He passed her name through his thoughts a hundred times a day. He wanted to say her name, whisper it into her ear. But that would imply an intimacy they didn’t share.

He propped his cane up, placed his arm on the wall beside her and leaned casually, close to her. Closer than was proper. Her womanly essence sent his thoughts scattering. “Gwyneth, I wonder, have you ever had a kiss that near took your breath away?”
Her cheeks reddened even more.
“I confess, just the thought of kissing you the way I would like does that to me.”

She tasted of salvation and damnation at once. No woman had ever lured him to forget who he was…forget his past, his future, and fill him with the need to have her no matter the cost to his soul.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Lauren’s Eyes by Norah Wilson

Format: E-booklaurenseyes
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self Published
Hero: Callum Taggart
Heroine: Lauren Townsend
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: July 31, 2010
Started On: September 28, 2011
Finished On: October 1, 2011

When I first saw Lauren’s Eyes by Norah Wilson, the book failed to catch my eye. Maybe because the book cover that depicted a couple of horses didn’t stir my pick-this-book-up-immediately-radar. But once I read The Merzetti Effect and became drawn towards Norah’s style and the way she presents a story to the reader, I knew I needed to get my hands on every romance that she has published to-date.

The new glossy cover toting man-candy certainly whetted my appetite for more and Lauren’s Eyes made its way to my massive TBR, time and yet again to be bumped up because the story seemed to call something deep inside of me. And now, having read the book from start to finish and having loved every minute of the journey, I have just got to say, Kudos Norah, for a story that hits ALL the right spots head on!

Callum Taggart (Cal) is a rancher who has hit hard times and has resigned himself to taking in tourists to turn his business around. Cal is a man who has so much pain deep inside of him, which he hides from the rest of the world so effectively that even Cal himself doesn’t realize that he hurts for things that he cannot seem to voice. A childhood that had taught Cal the lesson never to depend on anyone else but himself and later on a marriage that had failed miserably has Cal shouldering each and every responsibility without flinching, never trusting anyone else and never really understanding his own worth until Lauren comes into his life and turns everything around.

Lauren Townsend is a 30 year old veterinarian, a gift that makes her susceptible towards the behavior and emotions of animals that makes her very good at what she does. Lauren’s psychic ability makes her sensitive to visions that shows her homicides that until now Lauren has been unable to stop. Her changeling nature has made her a bit of a loner, the past relationships in her life a testament to the fact.

It is Lauren’s psychic visions that brings her to the Foothills Guest Ranch where she meets Cal Taggart, whose silver gaze makes her think of the swirling depths of the Atlantic Ocean, and makes her want to lose every single inhibition she has and say yes to the fire that smolders in Cal’s eyes, promising her a world of pleasure that Lauren has not yet known.

What starts out merely as Lauren’s attempt to save a woman’s life turns into something much bigger and complex as her growing attraction towards Cal makes her want and yearn for much more than the straightforward sexual affair that Cal is ready to offer. For both Cal and Lauren, the desire that they feel for each other that burns hotter and more out of control with each and every encounter slowly chips away their resistance towards letting their hearts get involved.

As trouble continues to mount at the ranch and unexpected guests arrive, it is Lauren that proves at each and every turn that in her Cal has finally found someone he can completely rely on and place his trust in, because in her arms, Cal finally feels as if he has come home.

I started Lauren’s Eyes thinking that I would be getting an enjoyable romantic suspense with a heroine who has psychic abilities posing the usual conflicts that such characters bring to the stories. But, with Norah, I have come to realise that she always has a way of far exceeding my expectations. Reading Lauren’s Eyes was like unwrapping a gift with hidden compartments, each layer that unfolded making the story that much more irresistible.

Cal’s inner tortured nature makes him such a worthy hero to sigh over, his mere presence devastating to the senses. Cal is the type of hero that I can’t get enough of, the type of hero that I wish authors would write more of! Even now, a couple of hours after finishing the book, I find myself thinking of Cal at odd times, thinking of those heady moments he shares with Lauren filled with such raw desire and want that one can’t help but want more of the same. Norah certainly ups the heat in this novel and for those who love blistering heat and passion of the toe curling variety in their romantic suspense, I guarantee that Lauren’s Eyes provides that in spades!

I have identified with the fact that Norah has an innate ability to create heroines who don’t do much fluttering around, wringing their hands bemoaning the fates for putting them in the path of the hero. And true to Norah’s style, Lauren turned out to be such a fantastic heroine, someone that I loved right from the very beginning. Her need to comfort Cal right from the  very beginning made her land in my favorite heroines shelf for now & always!

The ending when it came, had me with tears in my eyes, something that yet again Norah seems to do to me so effortlessly to with her novels.

As I said before, there are so many elements to the story that makes the book what it is, that one needs to read this to uncover and appreciate it for. The characters, the setting and the romance all make for a fantastic read, one I cannot recommend highly enough and cannot applaud Norah enough!

Favorite Quotes

(Cal) “I was thinking, maybe you’d like a livelier mount, since you’re obviously a skilled rider.”
She glanced at him sharply. The fact that he’d paid her a compliment sank in her consternation at the thought of a more forceful mount under her. […]
“Thank you, no. I think I’ll stick with slow and steady.”
His hooded eyes suddenly took on a sleepy, sensual look. “That’s a sensible decision, ma’am. But if you should get a yen for fast and wild, just give me a shout.”

When his hard hand cupped her face, an involuntary shiver raced up her spine, but she made no objection Then his lips were on hers.
It wasn’t what she expected. Instead of hot demand, there was testing, tasting. He shaped her lips with his, tilting his head this way and that, as though searching for the best angle. Her heart pounding, she conceded they were all good. But she wanted more. Without thought, she opened her mouth against his.
She sensed him stiffen, but instead of deepening the kiss, he started to pull back. Abandoning any pretense that she didn’t want this, hadn’t thought about it since the first moment she’d laid eyes on him, she caught his head and really kissed him.

Anywhere, she thought. He could touch her anywhere with that talented mouth, those clever hands. She’d do anything as long as he didn’t stop. On a surge of raw lust, she caught his lower lip between her teeth and bit. His growl thrilled her, but then he flexed a powerful thumb against her throat.

He gathered her carefully into his arms, tucking her head into his shoulder and aligning her frozen limbs with his. She felt stiff enough to shatter, but bit by bit, her muscles began to relax until she lay pliant against him. Pliant and sleeping. It didn’t take very long. Maybe fifteen minutes.
Fifteen minutes for her to regain herself.
Fifteen minutes for him to lose himself.

Her bathrobe came off with one sweep, exposing her silky skin, fragrant from the bath. Perfect, he marveled, even as part of him wondered when his tastes had changed so radically. Small breasts, boyishly slender hips, long, long legs.
Mine! On that fierce thought, he proceeded to brand her with his mouth.

“We had fun, didn’t we?” she said, her eyes glinting. “Well, apart from the last bit.”
Fun? He remembered burying himself inside her and thinking he’d finally come home. He remembered pillowing his head on her breasts and coming apart in her arms. Fun?
She took a step closer, her body language shouting that she was going to lean over the bed rail and kiss him. A long, bittersweet goodbye kiss, no doubt. Jesus, he couldn’t bear it.

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

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