Category / Toe Curler!!

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: This Heart for Hire by Elysa Hendricks

Format: E-bookthisheartforhire
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher:Self-Published
Hero: Jacob Gallagher
Heroine: Christina Goodwin
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 12, 2011
Started On: December 11, 2011
Finished On: January 21, 2012

This Heart for Hire by Elysa Hendricks takes place in Texas in 1870 and brings together the tough gunslinger Jake Gallagher together with the innocent and convent reared Christina Goodwin amidst the violence and harsh beauty that was life in the wild west.

Christina is on the run for her life with her brother Christopher in tow when Christopher is killed at the hands of bandits who seemingly wants to have their way with her. Rescue comes in the form of Jake Gallagher who to Christina looks to be the lesser of the two evils. When Jake gets injured on the run and it is on Christina he depends on, it is on sheer guts alone that she survives the next couple of hours.

When Jake recovers from his injuries, he has no recollection of who he is or any memories of the past 2 years of his life. All that he knows for sure is that he would lay down his very life for his angel, the woman who draws him to her unlike any other. It is Christina’s gentle innocence and her natural curiosity when it comes to the desires of the flesh that keeps drawing Jake to her like a moth towards flame. And to Christina, Jake epitomizes everything that has been forbidden to her during her 12 years in the convent. And when love enters the equation, there is no stopping her from claiming Jake as hers, even with Jake doing all that he can to keep her at arm’s length.

This Heart for Hire is not a light fluffy read. Elysa Hendricks does a splendid job of bringing her characters to life and paints a vivid picture of the harsh realities of life in the wild west. But that doesn’t mean that this story is all filled with dark moments. Contrary to that, the story contains beautiful moments as well as moments taut with the sizzling sexual tension that flares up between Christina and Jake from the very beginning. And then comes the harrowing couple of last chapters where reality intrudes and Christina experiences the violent reality of bandits who towards the end have an agenda of their own when it comes to her.

Christina might be the gentle innocent in the story. But even then, she is a woman who has a depth of courage that we begin to see when push comes to shove, her determination to escape and take revenge on the men who so callously violates everything she has been taught till now the burning fire that keeps her going. Her need and love for Jake shines through when he is around, but the way he pushes her away, one time too many makes her stand up for herself.

Jake is tormented throughout the story by the lack of his memories which aren’t as forthcoming as he would like them to be. With a void in his past and the possibility that he might be a wanted man by the law makes him push Christina away time and yet again. Jake continues to deny his need and love for the woman who invaded his heart much earlier than he would care to remember until Christina is nearly snatched away from his life for good.

I loved how the story came together and brought along with it its fair share of surprises along the way. There were moments where I was like “Heck, I didn’t see that one coming”, which is always a good thing when you are reading any sort of book. And I loved how elements of both Jake and Christina’s pasts entwines them together, fating them to be the better halves of one another for the rest of their lives. The one thing that could have made this book that much better was the end to Christina’s attempts to reach her uncle which was unresolved even when the story ended. I would have loved a bit of a lengthier end to the story, maybe an epilogue at that, which could have shown the happily ever after that Jake and Christina fully deserves.

Recommended for fans of American Western historical romances. Elysa Hendricks spins a tale that is hard to put down.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Color My Horse by Bev Pettersen

Format: E-bookcolormyhorse
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Westerhall
Hero: Mark Russell
Heroine: Jessica Boone
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: August 16, 2011
Started On: January 16, 2012
Finished On: January 19, 2012

I was a bit apprehensive diving into my second book by Bev Pettersen, not because she tells a bad story, hardly that. Jockeys and Jewels which was my first Bev Pettersen turned out to be a good read for me because there was a lot of horse jargon involved that detracted me a bit from enjoying the story that unfolded. But I was absolutely delighted to discover that true to Bev’s word, Color My Horse turned out to be one of those stories that was hard to put down because of the sheer number of emotions that coursed through me while I was reading the story.

Jessica Boone is the heiress to the Boone fortune. With a controlling grandfather who wants to map out her life the way he wants it, Jessica is a woman who is stuck in a hard place with no way out. With her skiing career a choice no longer available with a severe knee injury, Jessica grabs at the last straws to assert her independence. She bargains with her grandfather to allow her to give her the cash she needs to start her own dog kennel. But it does come with a price. Jessica has to work at the Belmont racetrack for a set period of time, living entirely on what she earns from her job, failing to do which she has to come work for her grandfather.

Enter 31 year old Mark Russel, who is a horse trainer, who runs a tight ship with his workers with his no nonsense attitude towards horse training as well as life in general. Mark has the fear that he might turn out to be just like his father; a man who thought with the wrong body part when it came to alluring females. And when Jessica’s grandfather coerces him into accepting Jessica on board, Mark doesn’t expect the rich heiress to last much longer than a day mucking stalls and scrubbing down horses which is a far removed life from that of a woman of the elite society.

However, Jessica surprises Mark and herself as well when her resolve to to regain her independence gives her the strength to persevere in spite of all odds being stacked against her. Jessica is a character who is so very full of life. She tends to spread vivid color everywhere she goes, spreads a kind of joy that intrudes and cracks the reserves around Mark’s emotions before he is even aware of it happening. Though Mark tells himself that it is only a heady sexual attraction and desire that he has towards his newest employee, feelings of the much deeper kind continues to develop as both of them indulge in an affair that leaves them both wanting more.

What makes Color My Horse such a fabulous book to read is the way Bev Pettersen brings the story to life. Her love for horses shines through marvelously and I couldn’t help but pout just a little bit because I live in a country where running into a horse is an impossibility. I loved how Bev paired off someone whose bright outlook on life lights up the life of a man for whom looking after the horses that he loves means everything. The thread of suspense that is woven throughout the story just served to be the icing on the cake and I loved every single minute of Jessica’s journey towards discovering all that she is capable of and in the process finding the love of her life.

With all the things that I loved about the story, there was just one teeny tiny thing that irked me for a bit. I couldn’t get over just how little Mark seemed to be affected by Jessica’s return towards the end of the book. I know that Mark is a man who is reserved in his display of emotions and the fact that he continues to carry on Jessica’s “traditions” when it comes to looking after horses does tell a lot about how he feels towards Jessica. But I would have loved the ending a bit more if Mark had been a bit more forthcoming about his feelings towards Jessica, and maybe while he was at it, if he had tried to reach out to Jessica a bit sooner. But in the end, I guess it all comes down to Mark’s character and the fact that he doesn’t stray far from how his character is portrayed throughout the story.

Recommended for those who love character driven romances, those who love stories where heroines who are full-of-life meets up with the reserved type of hero. And of course, for those who loves horses. You cannot find an author who practically grabs you with the way Bev brings the culture and life of horse training and racing to life like she does.

Favorite Quotes

Mark just stared as she spoke about plastic flowers in the winter, but he couldn’t focus on her words. He’d never realized he had such a possessive streak. Possessive with horses, sure, but not with women. Never with women. She was leaving in a week, was extremely high maintenance, not to mention Boone’s granddaughter. And he hated those gaudy purple braids.
But life would be so gray when she left. She didn’t just color his horse, she colored his world.
Unable to speak, he stepped forward, pulled her into his thumping chest and simply held her.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords

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by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: Finally Satisfied by Tori Scott

Format: E-bookfinallysatisfied
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Satisfaction, Book 3
Publisher:Self-Published
Hero: Mitchell Turner
Heroine: Angel Kensington
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: January 16, 2012
Started On: January 17, 2012
Finished On: January 17, 2012

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 100 A
The heroine 100 A
Story line 100 A
Emotional Intensity 100 A
Story’s ability to suck me in 100 A
Heat & Sensuality  100 A
Conflicts within the story 100 A
Writing Style 95 A
Quotable Factor 50 C
The Ending 95 A
Overall Grade 94  A 

Score Sheet Summary

The 3rd and final book in the Satisfaction series in my opinion is by far, the best book in the series. All 3 of the books are novellas, so length-wise they might not mean much, but with this book, Tori Scott has certainly managed to deliver everything that makes a story memorable.

Angel Kensington is the elder sister of Cara, the heroine from the 1st book in the series. Angel is a woman who has undergone one of the most heart wrenching ordeals a woman may have to go through when she had to give up her baby for adoption. Ever since then, Angel has learnt to keep people at bay, to hide behind her passion that is photography all the while fighting panic attacks that has become almost part of her daily life.

Mitchell Turner is the one man who has the ability to make her feel, maybe a bit too much which is one reason she doesn’t desire to be in his company. And there is no helping the fact when Mitch turns out to be one of the best men in Cara’s wedding, a celebration Angel cannot miss out on, no matter how much she would like otherwise. One panic attack too many and Angel finds herself finally taking the plunge and seeing a psychologist who can help her turn her life around for the better.

For me, both Mitch and Angel were fantastic characters. They felt real and their emotions almost tangible throughout the story. Sweet and poignant as the ending was, I felt a bit cheated out on the way the epilogue seemed to be cut off a bit abruptly. Would have certainly made my day if the epilogue had been just a teeny tiny bit longer!

If you are going to straightaway jump into this book without having read the previous 2 titles, I would advice you not to because all 3 books are tied to one another. To get the full impact of ALL the characters in this series, I recommend the series be read in order.

Definitely recommended!

Favorite Quotes

When she looked up and smiled at him–a genuine, wide-open smile–it took his breath away. It lit up her face and those beautiful tawny eyes and made her more than just beautiful. Stunning. He’d never thought about the meaning of that word when it came to looks before, but at this moment he’d define it as feeling like he’d been hit with a two by four. Paralyzed but still breathing. Knocked on his ass, but still standing.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Smashwords

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by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: Reckless Night by Lisa Marie Rice

Format: E-bookrecklessnight.JPG
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Dangerous, 3.5
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Hero: Viktor “Drake” Drakovich
Heroine: Grace
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: November 29, 2011
Started On: January 12, 2012
Finished On: January 12, 2012

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 100 A
The heroine 100 A
Story line 90 A
Emotional Intensity 90 A
Story’s ability to suck me in 100 A
Heat & Sensuality  100 A
Conflicts within the story 90 A
Writing Style 100 A
Quotable Factor 60 B
The Ending 90 A
Overall Grade 92 A

Score Sheet Summary

For me, Drake is one of those heroes that I would never ever forget. Lisa Marie Rice has a way of spinning a tale that takes you on this beautiful journey which you never ever want to end. And the Dangerous is a series that is one of her best in my opinion. Dangerous Passion is the 3rd and final book published in the Dangerous series and now we have a beautiful little novella that takes place a bit earlier than the epilogue in the actual story.

Drake is not your typical hero and if you want to know why, I suggest you read the book because giving away who and what he is would just be spoiling things for you. And if you already like myself are a rabid fan of the series, you would need no further nudging from me to remember who Drake is.

Drake and Grace’s novella too is focused on their happily ever after, bringing to light the changes that have taken place for both of them in their life together. Their love for each other is an all encompassing one and a beautiful one at that, and at times a scorching hot one too!

Lisa Marie Rice has done well in penning these novellas because if one isn’t already a fan of the series, she definitely wets the reader’s appetite to learn more. And for a fan like myself, I can’t help but want to re-read the entire series and will continue to wonder when my beloved Nick Ireland would get his own little novella to cast me off into my dream world with him along for the ride.

Favorite Quotes

She would never tell him and was ashamed to admit it, even to herself, but she’d fallen in love with him the instant she’d seen him. She’d been taken at gunpoint to the alleyway outside a gallery showing her paintings and had seen a powerful man, not tall but immensely broad. He was facing three armed thugs and he hadn’t looked frightened at all.
He’d looked dangerous.
And she’d fallen.

They had a fabulous sex life. Drake was an attentive, tender lover who took his time in pleasing her. But every once in a while something in him changed and she caught a glimpse of the truly dangerous man he really was. She hadn’t tamed him, not one bit. He just chose to show her a tender side he said he’d only discovered with her.
But sometimes the tiger in him growled and clawed its way to the surface. And then the sex was incandescent.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: Hot Secrets by Lisa Marie Rice

Format: E-bookhotsecrets
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Dangerous, 1.5
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Hero: Jack Prescott
Heroine: Caroline Prescott
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: January 3, 2012
Started On: January 12, 2012
Finished On: January 12, 2012

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 100 A
The heroine 100 A
Story line 90 A
Emotional Intensity 100 A
Story’s ability to suck me in 100 A
Heat & Sensuality 100 A
Conflicts within the story 90 A
Writing Style 100 A
Quotable Factor 60 B
The ending 80 A
Overall Grade 92 A

Score Sheet Summary

The Dangerous series by Lisa Marie Rice is one my utmost favorite erotic romantic suspense of the contemporary variety. Hot Secrets is a short, sweet and red-hot novella that takes place right after the very first book of the series, i.e. Dangerous Lover.

Taking place a year into Jack’s marriage to Caroline Prescott, the one woman whom he had never ever forgotten even through the long, hard and tough journey that had brought him back to her doorstep; through Hot Secrets Lisa Marie Rice allows us fans a much wanted glimpse into their happily ever after.

Jack might be besotted to the point of going crazy when it comes to his gentle and beautiful wife, but the one thing that he doesn’t let up on is his need to keep her safe, which is one reason why I fall so hopelessly in love with heroes created by Lisa Marie Rice.

Jack Prescott is alpha to the T, protective to the max and oozes a ton of sexuality just by merely existing in the story. Needless to say, I enjoyed every single minute of this little story which just drove home the point that I miss the beauty that is always a part of Lisa Marie Rice books.

For those who have never read a book from the Dangerous series, this is your place to start because if you are like me, you would be rushing out to buy the entire series before the day is through!

Favorite Quotes

She stepped closer to him, closer still, until her breasts touched his jacket, watching his eyes all the time. “My darling Jack.” She lifted herself up on tiptoe and awkwardly kissed the side of his mouth. “I’m yours. You know that.”
His control broke. His hands fisted in her hair and he kissed her hard, almost savagely. He knew he was bruising her mouth but he couldn’t stop himself. It was as if her mouth were giving him life. He would stay alive as long as he was kissing her.

He couldn’t wait—not one second more—and entered her with one long hard thrust. He was so careful with her, always, but this time he couldn’t be careful, couldn’t be gentle; he needed to possess her the way he needed to breathe.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Whispers in the Dark by Maya Banks

Format: E-bookWhispersinthedark
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: KGI, Book 4
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Hero: Nathan Kelly
Heroine: Shea Peterson
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: January 3, 2012
Started On: January 6, 2012
Finished On: January 7, 2012

The 4th book in the KGI series is a bit different from the previous 3 books in the fact that there is an element of paranormal added to the mix of suspense and romance that makes up the series. Whispers in the Dark tells the story of the youngest Kelly brother who happens to be Nathan Kelly, who gets captured during his last mission in Afghanistan and goes through hell at the hands of his captors.

Nathan’s savior comes in the form of Shea Peterson who reaches out to him in his darkest hours, when Nathan is ready to give up all hope that he would ever escape or be rescued from the nightmare that has become his life. Shea is a woman who has telepathic abilities that allows her to communicate with Nathan. The way their connection is forged during the toughest time in Nathan’s life makes the bond between them a powerful one. But once Shea knows that Nathan is going to be safe in his family’s hands, she disappears from his life, leaving a very much devastated Nathan behind who keeps questioning his very sanity, wondering whether the woman whom he cannot forget was a figment of his imagination that had been born out of his need to survive.

Six months later, Shea once again reaches out to Nathan, this time in her hour of need which of course Nathan responds to at a speed that baffles his family members who have been trying valiantly the past few months to bring the Nathan they remember back to life. From then on, it is the Kelly’s that band up together to protect the ones they consider their own, Shea being extra special because it had been her doing that had brought Nathan back safely from the throes of Hell. 

Unlike some readers who were offended by the paranormal element that is part of this book, I enjoyed the difference that element brought to the story. For me, the connection between Nathan and Shea seemed to be that much stronger and more believable because they have been through so much together, being there for each other when they had both needed it the most. 

Nathan Kelly is a typical Kelly hero. He is uber protective and when he forges that connection with Shea, there is no turning back for him, ever. Every Kelly hero is so endearing to most romance readers because they are alpha heroes who aren’t jerks, and they have protective instincts that just wraps up the heroine in this cocoon that seems to be a safe haven from the rest of the world. And as always, the best part about a KGI book is to experience the Kelly family as a whole, how they stand up for one another no questions asked and how they are there for one another unconditionally. The bits I loved the most were the banter between the brothers that brought a smile to my face every single time, even during those most tension wrought moments. 

Shea is the type of heroine that Maya Banks creates so well. They are kind, generous and giving and have an inner strength that shines through from the very beginning and Shea is no exception to that rule. The fact that Shea is on the run for her life doesn’t stop her from helping Nathan out, even she doesn’t know him from Adam, and that is one reason why I loved her character from the beginning.

I loved the scenes of passion between Shea and Nathan which were brought to life marvelously by the author. The one thing that didn’t work for me was the bit of rehashing of the growing feelings between Nathan and Shea. For me, the connection that Maya forged between them was already real and deep enough and I would have loved the story more if more elements regarding Shea and what she was running from had been included so that the pace of the story would never falter. Nevertheless, I enjoyed Whispers in the Dark and consider this a great installment in the series of which I am looking forward to the rest of the books to be published later this year and early next year.

Recommended for fans of the KGI series, fans of alpha heroes whose protective nature knows no bounds and those who are fans of Maya Banks.

Favorite Quotes

He inhaled her scent, uncaring of the blood and dirt and grime that permeated her hair and clothing. He was holding her. Finally holding her.
“You’re real. You’re real.”
She pulled away, looked up at him, the same answering emotion shining in her blue eyes. With a groan, he lowered his mouth to hers. He couldn’t hold back. Nothing in the world would have kept him from kissing her in that moment.
He was overcome.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Rafferty’s Angel by Caroline Cross

Format: Paperbackraffertysangel
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Silhouette Desire, #851
Publisher: Silhouette
Hero: Chase Rafferty
Heroine: Margaret Rose McKenna
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 1, 1994
Started On: January 4, 2012
Finished On: January 4, 2012

Reading wise, the year 2012 didn’t start off so great for me. I picked up 2 books which have received rave and glowing reviews from several reviewers & readers, but somehow I found myself not really getting into the story that was developing. Maybe I wasn’t in the right frame of mind or lets face it, I may very well be the odd one out when it comes to the said books. That being said, Caroline Cross’s Rafferty’s Angel was a recommendation I got off of a giveaway I held here on my blog and I have been awaiting this one’s arrival ever since I ordered a used copy from Abe Books. So  last evening I found myself engrossed in the story that unfolded, a book that delivered exactly what I was craving for which made me a very happy and satisfied reader all around.

Former DEA Agent Chase Rafferty is a man who is haunted by what took place 2 years ago. The fact that the widow of the man whom he had killed had come forward to provide the testimony that had freed him in the eyes of the law continues to haunt and taunt him. Chase had grown up without ever knowing an ounce of kindness from his military bred father and his life as a DEA agent later on makes him a cynical man, one who is befuddled and confused by the way Maggie comes forth to the rescue of the one man whom she should hate with every fiber of her being.

2 years pass on by and Maggie lives in her hometown of Mission in Eastern Oregon with her two children. Once again, Maggie finds herself playing the rescuer, this time to a Chase that seems to have lost all hope, a man whose tormented soul beckons Maggie to bestow upon him her soothing touch, a man she undeniably has a strong connection towards no matter how much she may try to think otherwise.

Its a slow and a moving journey that Maggie and Chase takes together towards the discovery that in each other lies their better halves and their entwined future, if only Chase is willing to let go of the demons that continue to hound him every step of the way. The sizzling sexual tension that is so much a part of Maggie and Chase’s relationship proved to be an oh! so delicious one, one that had all my nerves rejoicing in the way that Chase loses his control when it comes to Maggie.

Maggie is one of the most endearing heroines I have come across. She has this soothing quality that is hard to explain, heck she even worked her charm over me throughout the story. I was lulled into this place where the world was a beautiful riot of colors, one where loneliness and pain is a foreign concept. That doesn’t mean that this story is all fluff, candies and rainbows. Hardly that, but Caroline Cross’s writing came across to me as a thing of beauty, one that I fell hopelessly in love with and won’t be forgetting anytime soon!

For fans of tortured and cynical heroes, Chase Rafferty is the man for you! He is sexy as sin and has a way about him that would draw you into his character and make you want to shoo away all those nightmares that seems to linger on even after such a long time. 

Highly recommended!

Favorite Quotes

Yet as bad as she felt, it was nothing compared to the stark despair she saw in Rafferty’s eyes. It was so total, and went so deep, that it made her forget her own hurt to see it. It was the look of a man who’d given up deep inside where it mattered most, and for Maggie, who was a survivor to her very toes, it was profoundly disturbing.

Maggie lifted her head.
Chase lowered his.
Like the inevitable meeting of sea with shore, their mouths came together.

And then those dusky lashes fluttered up, revealing a lambent gleam of jungle green.
His hands circled her waist and she slowly flexed his hips, a wholly male sound of satisfaction escaping him when her eyes fluttered shut and she gasped.
And then a small, secret, feminine smile appeared on her lips and Chase’s control snapped like a power line in a high wind.
Wrapping her in his arms, he began to pump into her in a slow, relentless rhythm that was both too much and not enough.

“Oh, baby, I can’t wait….”
“Don’t. I want you, Chase….” She slid her fingers up the strong channel of his spine to lock in the soft heavy gold of his hair and urged him down until his mouth, hot and wet, latched hungrily on one distended nipple. He hooked his fingers in the fragile lace barrier of her panties and tore them away, then yanked at the fastening of his jeans.
This time there was no slow slide of discovery. There was one endless agonizing second of delay as he made use of one of the packets she’d purchased, and then he was gripping her hips and plunging inside her, the pair of them bowing together as the ache of anticipation became a white-hot pulse of pleasure.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

Format: E-booktheravenprince
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Princes Trilogy, Book 1
Publisher: Warner Forever
Hero: Edward De Raaf
Heroine: Anna Wren
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: November 1, 2006
Started On: December 30, 2011
Finished On: December 31, 2011

My very first Elizabeth Hoyt turned out to be a delightful introduction into her work. The Raven Prince which is the first book in the Princes trilogy certainly wets a reader’s appetite for more of Elizabeth Hoyt and that is exactly what happened throughout this wonderful story with its larger than life characters and the sizzling sexual tension that seemed to be so much a part of this whole story as it unfolded.

Anna Wren is a widow going on for 6 years and lives in Little Battleford with her mother-in-law and maid in a small cottage. Dire financial circumstances has Anna seeking employment with the reclusive 5th Earl of Swartingham, Edward De Raaf who is legendary for his ominous temper which had driven away the two previous secretaries in his employment. Scarred from smallpox from which he had been the sole survivor of his family, Edward prefers the seclusion the countryside offers and has every intention of filling up his childhood home with family and warmth once again, as soon as he manages to arrange for his marriage with a lady of suitable pedigree.

When Anna enters his life with her intelligence, quick wit and warmth, Edward sees beyond her prim and plain exterior into the woman at heart, a woman whose body tempts him unlike any other. The need to possess Anna in the most wickedest ways possible drives every sane thought from Edward’s mind until he is forced to come to the decision that a tumble in the most notorious whorehouse in London would cure him of his unwanted lust for his secretary.

When Anna finds out that Edward would rather seek the services of a whore than touch her, something deep inside of her that is already possessive of Edward and how his mere presence makes her feel makes her take matters into her own hands and thus she finds herself posing as a woman of the house, awaiting Edward to pleasure her in ways she has never even dreamed of.

Though the story was a bit slow in starting for me, I was well engrossed more than half way through, thoroughly enjoying the banter between Anna and Edward. Edward is a delicious hero, no two ways about it. I love heroes who are reclusive, those who are intent and focused on what they want and need and of course his brand of seduction when it comes to Anna, a side that he keeps hidden from the rest of the world was just sheer magic to revel in.

Anna was a wonderful heroine. She has that inner kindness deep inside of her that refuses to let society’s rule govern her actions. Anna is a woman who has been deeply hurt by her previous husband, a hurt that at first refuses to let her see just how much more she could have with Edward by her side.

Equally charming and maybe more so were the snippets from the fairy tale entitled “The Raven Prince” which I was racing through the chapters to reach its conclusion. I found the magic of the small snippets included enticing and beautiful at the same time, and for someone who to this day loves watching Disney cartoons, I cannot gush on enough about the short story included as part of Anna and Edward’s journey towards their happily ever after.

Recommended for fans of steamy historical romances.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: No Dress Required by Cari Quinn

Format: E-booknodressrequired
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Hero: Jake Conroy
Heroine: Noelle Gregory
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: December 25, 2011
Started On: December 29, 2011
Finished On: December 29, 2011

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 90 A
The heroine 90 A
Story line 90 A
Emotional Intensity 85 A
Story’s ability to suck me in 90 A
Heat & Sensuality 90 A
Conflicts within the story 80 A
Writing Style 100 A
Quotable Factor 50 C
The Ending 90 A
Overall Grade 85.5 A

Score Sheet Summary

Noelle Gregory has always had a thing for her best friend’s older brother Jake Conroy. Though Jake has always viewed her as a pesky younger sister, Noelle’s feelings for him run far deeper towards a whole different direction. The timing has never been right for Noelle to pursue her feelings towards Jake. And when the opportunity does present itself, who is she to say no to exploring what could happen between them? She is willing to take the chance that maybe, just maybe, Jake might feel the same way about her.

This is Cari’s first non-erotic contemporary romance and I loved it. After my last read which was pretty intense, I found the change of pace this offered sweet and just what I needed. Though a short novella, Cari’s writing is always superb with that emotional intensity that always sucks me in with her stories. I loved Jake and Noelle both, Jake because he was the one with the self confidence issues and Noelle the one who shows him that he is just mighty fine the way he is.

Though it is a non-erotic romance, don’t be fooled into thinking that there is no heat in this novella. There is plenty of that and more and Cari always delivers with her stories and leaves you begging for more!

Recommended for fans of Cari Quinn and fans hot contemporary novellas!

Favorite Quotes

“Jake,” she whispered, the hot blast of her exhalation making him groan. He gave in and fisted his hands in her hair.
She opened to him at once, her body melting against his, wilting into his embrace so that it felt like his light pressure on her cheeks was all that held her upright. But her mouth was a hungry thing, her tongue diving in to tangle with his while her arms wound around his shoulders. He slanted his head to plunder her as deeply as he could, ravenous to explore every inch of her mouth.
Forget kissing. They were eating each other alive.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Against the Wind by Anne Stuart

Format: E-bookagainsthewind
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Candlelight Ecstasy Supreme
Publisher: Dell Publishing Company
Hero: John Thomas Murphy
Heroine: Maddy Lambert
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: December 28, 1985
Started On: December 24, 2011
Finished On: December 25, 2011

So, I seem to be making my way slowly through the back-list of books published by the one and only Anne Stuart. The one thing that you can always count on with Anne Stuart; she delivers a story that will keep you engrossed, even if it is a book you want to throw against the wall towards the end.

30 year old Maddy Lambert makes her way to the war-torn country of San Pablo to meet her father who had upped and left one day with his idealistic view of the world when Maddy had been just 17 years old. Maddy had been heartbroken and devastated to say the least to lose the one person who had been distant but the only parent who had let her be unlike her mother who had seen each and every thing about Maddy as a way to pick on her. Needless to say, the 17 year old Maddy had been shy and an introvert who finds in the war-hardened soldier turned CIA official John Thomas Murphy a soul that reaches out to her and soothes her woes away. But John too turns his back on her and leaves with her father and Maddy believes herself to be well and cured of her infatuation for a man whose one haunting kiss that had practically reeked of his hunger for her still haunts her.

Maddy arrives after a bone jarring journey only to find that no one believes that she is the daughter of Samuel Eddison Lambert, not even John himself who has turned into a much more dangerous and wilder version of the man she remembers. And Maddy finds that she is as susceptible as ever when it comes to John, even when he does his best to keep her at arm’s length, and even John himself cannot deny the connection that he feels with Maddy, the woman who has been haunting his dreams for the past 14 years.

Amidst half truths, trickery and a whole lot of manipulation that Anne Stuart is so very good at delivering, Maddy and John stumble from one emotionally and sexually charged scene to the next, while at all times danger is just one step away lurking behind the shadows, something that continues to drive them apart until towards the very end of the book.

For the first time ever, I have to say I am disappointed in a book that Anne Stuart has written. I liked the heroine Maddy and her courage when it comes to facing each and everyone who has hurt her and failed her in so many ways. Her vindictive mother whom I would have loved to slap a few times and her father who feels nothing for his only daughter and intends to make use of her to drive across his point even from beyond the grave, and John who in my opinion fails her in the most heartbreaking way.

John might be the least “gamma” hero that I have encountered from all the Anne Stuart books I have read so far. His emotions regarding Maddy comes across a bit more clearly throughout the story, but he is every bit as ruthless when it comes to making use of Maddy even though he keeps her out of harms way and would rather die than have something happen to her. But time and yet again, John puts everything else above Maddy’s happiness, continues to keep leaving her to face his demons and fight the wars that has nothing to do with him but he feels responsible for, and yet expects Maddy to trust him and the way he feels about her.

I wanted Maddy to wake up, grow a backbone and leave John to his life, a life that he makes room for Maddy only when he is good and ready. I am all for ruthlessness, manipulations and even behavior that some readers might not be willing to forgive. But I need to know that when it comes to that vital point of no return, the hero would always choose the heroine no matter what. Sadly, I didn’t feel that with this book.

Recommended for hardcore fans of Anne Stuart like myself who wants to devour her books and cannot get enough of them, no matter how many books by hers you read.

Favorite Quotes

He couldn’t have known. The moonlight wasn’t enough to illuminate the room, and the tears that spilled silently down her cheeks didn’t touch him. But suddenly the kiss softened, the hands gentled on her, the lips coaxed and teased and healed. And without any more thought she was kissing him back, reaching for him with her mouth while her hands were held back, seeking him out with her tongue, calling him to her in the only way she could.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

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