Category / Toe Curler!!

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Substitute Wife by Dallas Schulze

Format: Paperbackthesubstitutewife
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: MIRA
Hero: Luke Quintain
Heroine: Catherine Willow Rain Skywalker Lang
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: April 1, 2003
Started On: May 6, 2011
Finished On: May 7, 2011

I have been wanting to read The Substitute Wife by Dallas Schulze for a long time. And whilst I enjoyed this book immensely, I had to bring down the rating from 5-stars because I felt that the hero did not really grovel enough to win back the affections of the heroine.

Catherine Willow Rain Skywalker Lang (I know, its a mouthful but it suites her well and good) grows up with a hippie for a mother whose wanderlust nature provided Cat with a very unique sort of childhood. Thus Cat had learnt at a very young age to become an “adult” and a responsible child with her unconventional education that nevertheless grows up to be a beautiful woman inside and out. It had been a gangly 13 year old Cat that had met her beautiful 20 year old sort of step-sister Devon whose father Larry had been the only family that Cat had known through her transformation from a teenager into womanhood.

When Cat finds out that Devon is running away with her first love and breaking off her engagement to Luke Quintain with whom Cat had fallen in love at first sight, Cat’s tender hearted nature refuses to let Luke hear about the broken engagement just mere weeks before the wedding via the post. So it is because Cat wants to deliver the news of the broken engagement in person that she finds herself on the doorstep of the ultra rich real estate tycoon for whom her heart clamors for something fierce.

Somehow Luke finds himself at the receiving end of the news of a broken engagement and Cat somehow leaves with a ring on her finger after proposing that she take Devon’s place instead. Luke agrees because he can’t help his reaction to the tall and red-haired beauty with the green eyes who calls to his baser instincts in a way that has never happened before. Though its a marriage of convenience to which Luke agrees to with a tight prenuptial to neatly tie things up, their marriage from the first moment itself becomes something much more than Luke bargained for.

Though Cat enters a marriage that has its divorce date already decided upon, her heart cannot help but yearn for Luke and his love to be hers till death does them apart. Trouble comes calling when Devon returns and Cat finds herself carrying Luke’s baby, something that wasn’t included in Luke’s agreement with his delectable wife whom he can’t seem to get enough of.

Luke who is definitely scarred on the inside from the trauma of witnessing the roller coaster of a marriage between his parents is a man who knows he is not the right material for a happily ever after. And with the earth shattering news about his imminent fatherhood, Luke does the unforgivable and finally manages to drive Cat and her love out of his life, taking him back to the bleak existence his life was before Cat lit it up with her love and her giving nature.

I loved so many things about this book right from the very first page itself. There is so much humor packed into this story that I swear that I couldn’t help but laugh out loud several times. Luke’s grouchy grandfather Nick who forces Luke’s hand in getting married is an interesting character who lends the story a charm of its own kind. Cat is such a wonderful, wonderful heroine that I absolutely fell head over heels in love with. I know, weird right? But you would have to read this one to understand what I am talking about. Cat has so many endearing qualities that you can’t help but be drawn towards her character. She is so comfortable with who she is that she continues to astound Luke, Nick and everyone who doesn’t know her that well and continually surprised me with her quirky comebacks and teasing nature. She is so very vulnerable when it comes to Luke who hurts her in the worst way possible, but still she manages to stand up for herself and work things out. And let me not forget Cat’s best friend Jack whose relationship with Luke’s best friend was an interesting facet of the novel as well.

And alas, I come to the part where my rating for this novel had to be brought down from a solid 5-stars to the 4-star rating it received. Mainly because I don’t think Luke really did enough towards the end to make up for what he did to Cat. I wanted him to grovel a bit more, and with more sincerity than that he showed. And Cat being the wonderful woman she is and because she loves Luke to distraction, she takes him back upon his one attempt at groveling and apologizing to her for what he did. Totally didn’t sit well with me. But, nevertheless Luke still makes for a sexy hero whose reluctant reactions towards Cat was one that I savored to the max.

Recommended for fans of contemporary romances with the marriage of convenience setting.

Favorite Quotes

“So, give it to me straight.” Luke turned to look at her, long fingers cradling the snifter. “I take it Devon’s absence is permanent?”
Cat nodded reluctantly. He didn’t look like a man whose heart was breaking. He looked irritated and maybe a little relieved. Or was that just wishful thinking on her part?
“She’s decided to become a nun? Having a sex change operation? Run off to join the circus?”
“A dairy farm,” Cat said, and Luke’s brows rose.
“She’s joined a diary farm? I didn’t know you could do that.”
“Not joined one so much as …well, actually she’s sort of marrying one.”
“Marrying a diary farm?” One corner of his mouth curved up. “She’s going to need a pretty big church, isn’t she?” (Totally had me cracking up!)

Cat tilted her head back, looking up at him. The rest lamp leeched the color from everything it touched, painting her in shades of dark and light. Dark hair, pale skin, her eyes deep mysterious pools, the almost-bruised darkness of her mouth. She didn’t say anything, didn’t pull back as he lifted his free hand and slid his fingers into the soft knot of her hair, searching out the pins that held it and pulling them loose, letting them scatter on the pavement. Her hair tumbled around her shoulders, and Luke curled his hand into it, letting it slide through his fingers. He felt a nearly painful surge of need. Hunger. Anger that he wanted her so much, that he had so little control where she was concerned.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Avenging Angel by Glenna McReynolds

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Loveswept, #653
Publisher: Loveswept
Hero: Dylan Jones
Heroine: Johanna Lane
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 1, 1993
Started On: May 5, 2011
Finished On: May 5, 2011

Winner of 1993 Rita Award for Short Contemporary, Avenging Angel by Glenna McReynolds aka Tara Janzen tells the story of an undercover law enforcement hero who is hellbent on reaching the woman he loves, to save her from the clutches of a man who wants nothing else except her death certificate in his hands. Though the cover is ridiculous, the story inside is a good one with a brooding hero who has a tender core deep inside and a spunky heroine who gives as good as she gets in the run for their lives that is the basis of this novel.

Dylan Jones is a man who has been working undercover for far too long. His life is and the real man inside of him is buried under a ton of lies and fabricated history that Dylan is almost weary and at the point of giving up. Six months back, Dylan had culminated 4 years of undercover work by slipping into Austin Bridgeman’s underground empire as a bodyguard whereupon he meets a bombshell package of brains, legs, virtue and sophistication that is Johanna Lane. Though it has always been Dylan’s rule never to get involved with anyone related to his assignment, he can’t help but be protective of the woman that he wants with every fiber of his being.

The daughter of the most renowned trial lawyer in the state of Illinois, Johanna follows in her father’s footsteps and is an attorney herself who works for Austin as his most private legal counsel. She had left Chicago and her job 4 months back because of what Austin had become in the past couple of years. Privy to information that no one else knows, this is what lands Johanna in danger and it is an injured Dylan that races through thousands of miles to abduct Johanna in order to save her.

It is an enraged Johanna that finds herself a captive of the sexy avenging angel who outsmarts a pack of men who look like they mean business when they storm her apartment. But trust doesn’t come easily and at first Johanna would love nothing more than to escape the clutches of the man who holds her captive even though it may be for her safety. But when Johanna discovers who Dylan truly is, a man she has a shared past with and a man she had desired in spite of every cell in her brain screaming for her not to, Johanna at long last gives in as she starts to fall for the man that she has dreamed about for far too long.

Avenging Angel is short novel, but still manages to pack into it a pretty decent story though there were a couple of things I would have loved to know more about. At the beginning of the story there is a mention of how Dylan had failed the previous 2 times he had broken cover to come to someone’s rescue. But there is no detail of any of it later in the story which would have served to make Dylan’s character a bit more interesting. Though I thought that Johanna would end up annoying the crap out of me, she later turned out to be a pretty good heroine who adamantly refuses to leave Dylan to the wolves when push comes to shove. Dylan makes for a dreamy hero with his tenderness that comes out to play around Johanna and the scenes of passion between the two are pretty well done. Now I am mighty curious to read the Crazy series by Tara Janzen because I know that she can write a mean romantic suspense if she puts her mind to it. Recommended for fans of short contemporary romantic suspense.

Favorite Quotes

The mercury had pushed ninety-two that day, but he was wearing an overcoat, a lined overcoat stained with dirt … or blood. A torn black T-shirt molded his torso, soft black jeans clung to his hips and legs.
He was bruised on one side of his face and cut on the other. He was muscular and lean, hard, stripped down to the basics of strength, He was feral.

Dark eyes opened to the barest slit, his gaze fixed on her mouth, unwavering. He looked like he wanted to eat her for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then start all over again. She felt the heat of his excitement running through his body. His skin was warm, nearly hot to the touch. His breath was uneven, his body pressed against hers in the most carnal of ways.
Her anger, so righteous only seconds before, was having an unbelievably difficult time not getting scorched to cinders by his slow, intense perusal.

Her need for him, to be a part of him, went beyond her power to reason. There was no reason to want him as badly as she did.
She did want him, though, with all her heart. She wanted to soothe him and cherish him. She wanted to kiss him with all the tenderness he was showering on her. She wanted to give him pleasure in being alive.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

goodread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Soldier on Her Doorstep by Soraya Lane

Format: E-booksoldieronherdoorstep
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Heroes Come Home, #1
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Alex Dane
Heroine: Lisa Kennedy
Sensuality: 2.9
Date of Publication: July 12, 2011
Started On: May 1, 2011
Finished On: May 2, 2011

Soldier on Her Doorstep tells the story of the journey taken by a soldier who suffers from survivor’s guilt, and how a man who has been a loner for most of his life suddenly finds himself feeling a wealth of emotions towards the widow of the man who took a bullet for him and died in his place. And how in the end he finds love, peace and happiness in the most unlikely of places.

When Alex Dane drives up to Brownswood Alaska, his only intention is to deliver a message to Lisa from her deceased husband and get the hell out. But when Alex feasts his eyes on the beautiful Lisa Kennedy and her 6 year old daughter Lilly Kennedy who hasn’t spoken a word to anyone apart from her mother since being informed of the death of her father, something that has stayed long dormant inside of Alex till now stirs to life.

Lisa can’t help but be drawn towards the silent and broody soldier that shows up on her doorstep looking as if its the last place he wants to be in. However, it is Lilly’s instant connection with Alex that astonishes and pleases Lisa  the most where Lilly and Alex form a strange bond right from the beginning which turns around Lilly’s healing process from the trauma of losing her father.

The instant attraction between Lisa and Alex doesn’t come without complications. Though Lisa in her mind is ready to accept that she feels something for Alex, her emotions wage an internal battle on whether it is the right thing for her to move on so quickly. And Alex would rather cut off an arm than give into his attraction towards the widow of the man who gave his life for him. Nevertheless, their attraction proves to be a more powerful drug than either of them could hope to resist and though they do give in to it, it is Alex’s  tormented soul that needs to heal before Alex and Lisa can have any real shot at happiness.

Soldier on Her Doorstep is a novel that has real good potential. I liked Alex and Lisa and Lilly as well, the 3 of them served to be endearing characters who lend the story a charm of their own making. I loved Lisa because she is someone whose character is strong enough to heal the very tortured soul of Alex who needs all the love and TLC in the world for him really put his demons to rest. Lilly makes for a very adorable character as well and I loved the descriptions that brought to life the connection between Alex and Lilly that serves as the healing point for Lilly’s trauma.

However there were a couple of things that could have made this story better. The constant retelling and rehashing of what William (Lisa’s husband) means to the budding relationship between Lisa and Alex gets a bit old after sometime. I would have loved to see more interactions between Alex and Lisa to witness firsthand how Alex heals from Lisa’s love and care.

Recommended for fans of Harlequin romances.

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

satisfactoryread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Negligee Behavior by Shelli Stevens

Format: E-booknegligeebehavior
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Marco Vargas
Heroine: Brandy Elizabeth Summers
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: May 23, 2011
Started On: May 1, 2011
Finished On: May 1, 2011

Yowza! What a fantastic piece of romance this turned out to be from one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. Negligee Behavior which is to come out on the 23rd of this month pets and strokes all the right places with the right balance of quirky humor, romance and red-hot passion of the body hair singeing variety and I loved every single moment of Marco and Brandy’s journey to happily ever after.

29 year old Marco Vargas co-owns a bar with his friend Sebastian and likes his life the way it is. He definitely never thought that 30 year old Brandy Summers would hijack his motorbike in her crazy wedding attire one hot afternoon in her attempt to get away from her boyfriend Gordon who is hellbent on getting hitched and turn his life completely around.

A feeling of being suffocated and doubts that she should not feel are all that plagues Brandy as she stands beside her boyfriend Gordon in his impulsive attempt to say their I-do’s in a rat-infested Elvis chapel in Vegas. A high school choir teacher by profession, Brandy is the sole heiress to the exclusive lingerie chain Sugar and Spice, the fastest growing lingerie chain in North America. Having grown up surrounded by picture-perfect models all her life, Brandy suffers from self-esteem issues and hides behind a facade of frumpy clothing through which Marco sees the beautiful and desirable woman inside even if its the last thing that he wants to see.

Brandy is as taken aback by the heady desire that takes a hold of her whenever she is around Marco who does so much more than just rescue her when shit hits the fan, as is Marco by the possessiveness that streaks right through him when it comes to Brandy. And when Brandy pulls all the stops and gets a sensational makeover with the help of the mouthy and smart-ass bartender Valerie, there is no stopping the tidal wave of desire that explodes between them.

However, both Brandy and Marco have secrets of their own which they keep from one another for their own reasons, not wanting to do anything that would shatter the fragile bond that forms between them as the days pass by. With enough humor in the right places that had me laughing out loud several times earning me the are-you-going-crazy? looks from my husband, I thoroughly enjoyed this delectable contemporary romance which was fun, sweet and heady all at the same time!

I loved the vivid characters that were brought to life right from the very start, rendering each of them to be a vital part of the story. Some of my favorite characters include Valerie the bartender, Sebastian, co-owner of the bar and Brandy’s mother whose spunky nature was a real surprise. Marco is such a dreamy and sensationally sexy hero that I found myself sighing each and every single time he calls Brandy “princess” and my heart just sped its beat up a notch whenever his primal instincts came out to play.

Brandy is such an endearing heroine who earned my wholehearted approval right from the very start with her quirky comebacks and sensitive nature at the core. The way she grows and blossoms as the story progresses along was one of the best parts of the story. And as I have been telling Ms. Stevens on Twitter, anyone who reads Negligee Behavior would definitely want to read the story of Sebastian and Marco’s younger sister Elena. There is this vibe between them that definitely has the makings of another breathtaking romance which I am definitely looking forward to! *hint, hint*

This one definitely makes it to my “favorites” list of contemporary romances for 2011 and I recommend it to everyone who loves a good contemporary romance with a sexy as sin hero and a heroine who you would most definitely relate to and delivers so much fun that you would wish the story to never ever end.

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

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Lost Wages of Sin by Rosalie Stanton

Format: E-booklostwagesofsin
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series: Sinners and Saints, Book 1
Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Hero: Dante
Heroine: Avaritia
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: April 11, 2011
Started On: April 25, 2011
Finished On: April 26, 2011

Lost Wages of Sin is book 1 in an exciting new series entitled Sinners and Saints that hit the stores this April. Rosalie Stanton is an author who knows exactly what she wants to convey to her readers and does it with style, humor and red hot passion that leaves the reader wanting more of where her stories come from. Having loved two contemporary romances by the author before, I knew that Rosalie Stanton wouldn’t disappoint me even if this is the very first paranormal/fantasy romance by hers that I have tried out.

Lost Wages of Sin is centered around Avaritia (Ava) who signifies “greed” in the seven Sins that Lucifer himself controls in order to tempt mankind into succumbing to the throes of Hell fire. Six thousand years old, Ava herself has never succumbed to what she is, though she has remained a faithful servant of Lucifer until she meets an angel who turns her life upside down and makes her yearn for something that has always been out of reach until now.

Before Ava knows it, she has been betrayed in the worst way possible and is on the run for her life from everything that is familiar and she holds dear. When she encounters Dante, sin incarnate and her friend for the past seven hundred years, Ava knows that she is not strong enough to say no to the heated looks that Dante keeps sending her way, making her want to give all of herself to a vampire who signifies everything that a woman ought to need in this life.

Dante who has been in love with Ava ever since she stumbled across him in his hour of need knows that he is willing to take whatever it is that Ava would give to him. When an unexpected kiss between the two opens up the flood gates of desire that both Ava and Dante have been keeping in check for centuries, Dante knows that there would be no turning back, not for him anyway. With a unique take on Christianity that lends the story an extra interesting facet, Lost Wages of Sin is a book not to be missed for fans of fantasy/paranormal romances.

What grabbed me most about this novel is of course Dante whose utter devotion and love for Ava shines through each and every single one of his actions. Though when compared to Ava in strength and physical abilities Dante falls short, nevertheless he never hesitates to put himself on the line for the love of his life and each and every single time he confesses his love for Ava to hear nothing of that nature in return just made me bleed for him a little. Let me not forget the banter between Dante and Ava that serves to be as much of a turn on as the actual scenes of intense hotness that Rosalie has down to a pat, the scene in the alley being my favorite!

As one reviewer has already pointed out, its hard to identify who the bad guys are, and I found myself just as fascinated with Lucifer’s character as I was with Dante’s towards the end. The hardest part is going to be waiting for each of the books in this series to come out, and maybe finally, reach a happily ever after for Lucifer himself? Well, a gal can always hope!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Liquid Silver

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Reluctant Nude by Meg Maguire

Format: E-bookthereluctantnude
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Maxence Luc Èmery
Heroine: Fallon Frost
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: April 5, 2011
Started On: April 5, 2011
Finished On: April 24, 2011

Meg Maguire is a totally new author for me and though I added this to my wish-list way back in February/March when this title’s blurb and release date became available under the “coming soon” section in Samhain, what really propelled me to get a copy was the rave reviews this book received right from the very day of its release. Though my reading progress has been slow with this one, it had nothing to do with the book but rather my busy schedule which prevented me from reading and reviewing this book as soon as I would have liked to.

The Reluctant Nude is the story of 33 year old sculptor Maxence Luc Èmery (Max) and 29 year old Fallon Frost who reluctantly comes to seek Max’s services to fulfill her part of a bargain she makes with the devil himself. Most of the story takes place in Nova Scotia, Canada where Max has made a home for himself after his shot to fame when he was a mere 12 years old. An only child, Max though a world renowned sculptor prefers to live his life in seclusion, taking in clients as he sees fit.

The only thing that has him agreeing to take Donald Forrester on as a client is the large sum of money that he agrees to pay Max upon completion of Fallon’s sculptor, an agreement that Max starts to regret as he chips away the resistance that Fallon hides behind so very well to reveal the passionate woman who Max comes to fall in love with.

One of the things I appreciated most about the story is the fact that Max and Fallon’s relationship wasn’t about being in lust at first sight. Rather, the story developed at a pace that was believable, lending the sexual tension that practically brought the pages alive a quality which it otherwise would have lacked. Though Max might not be an alpha hero through and through, nevertheless Max proves to be a dreamy and albeit a bit of an unusual hero who managed to squeeze a lot of emotion from me as the story progressed along.

Max’s playful nature when it comes to Fallon with whom he feels comfortable with enough to let go of his celibacy for the past 8 years is an enjoyable facet in a story where the heroine is the more serious of the two, an aftereffect of the foster care system through which Fallon  had grown up.

Both Max and Fallon are broken in their own way and come together to create scenes of lovemaking so beautiful and vivid that it just about took my breathe away and picked up my pulse damn near every single time. As I said before, its the pace that the author sets with the story and the beautiful way in which she brings to life the tormented soul of Max as well as that of Fallon’s that makes this story a contemporary romance that all lovers of this genre must read.

Though I found Fallon to be lacking in some way which I can’t really describe, I still loved the story that unfolded and absolutely adored Max right from the very beginning. The epilogue left a huge smile on my face, a fitting ending to a story that held me enthralled all throughout.

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

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Price of a Bride by Michelle Reid

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Presents, #2033
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Alexander Doumas
Heroine: Mia Frazier
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: May 1, 1999
Started On: April 11, 2011
Finished On: April 13, 2011

Its being so long since I have been able to put up a review that I am afraid I may have forgotten how to write one. Stuff at work is seriously cutting into my reading time which in turn brings down my reviewing time – which is all a vicious cycle I tell you. Since I have been so very busy, I decided to go with a lighter read, a Harlequin romance that has been in my to-be-read pile for quite sometime now and see whether I would be able to finish it up before the turn of the next century.

Michelle Reid being one of my favorite Harlequin authors, at least of her older books, I had high expectations when I started out with The Price of a Bride. The one thing that older titles of Harlequin have going for them is the fact that the good books tend to deliver a lot on the emotional wrangling content which makes them very memorable reads in the end.

The story starts out when Jack Frazier, 25 year old Mia Frazier’s father forces 34 year old wealthy and ultra rich Greek tycoon Alexander Doumas into agreeing to marry his daughter. For reasons that Mia refuses to reveal, she hides behind the lie that the reason that she is agreeing to the unholy alliance is only because she has a lot to gain on the monetary side from her father.

Though Alex has been after Mia ever since he had laid eyes upon her and though Mia had tried her damnedest to thwart his attempts at wooing her into his bed, it is a very angry and resentful Alex that agrees to the marriage that takes place between them. Since neither is able to deny or walk away from the combustive passion that lights up the pages from the beginning, their relationship begins as a purely sexual one from which Mia is supposed to provide her father with a heir to his vast business empire, which then only would ensure that Mia gets what she wants out of the deal.

The feelings that crop up in Mia’s heart for her husband though unwanted foster into love and wanting before she knows it and is in danger for the first time in her life of being vulnerable towards a man that has a strong hold on her emotions. Mia’s father Jack is a piece of work that deserves nothing better than being fed to the dogs and though certain aspects of the story were predictable from the beginning, I loved the emotional wallop that this one packed which touched all the right places in the end.

I loved the fact that this story was told from only Mia’s point of view which gave me the chance to gauge Alex’s burgeoning feelings towards his wife from his reactions that were described throughout the story. It always tends to get on my nerves in any type of romance when the heroine tends to play hard to get and tends to blame the hero because she becomes dynamite in his arms. It was good to see that Mia was no such heroine and that she embraced her sensual nature when it comes to Alex and plays no coy games to get on the nerves of the reader. The only aspect of the novel that didn’t feel right for me was the ending from which I expected just a tad more though I am hard put to say what it is exactly that I am looking for. All in all, a very enjoyable Harlequin romance that is highly recommended for fans of Harlequin romances, forced marriages of convenience and fans of Michelle Reid.

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

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Sweet Revenge by Nina Bruhns

Format: E-booksweetrevenge
Read with: Kindle for iPhone
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: New Orleans, Book 2
Publisher: Silhouette
Hero: Auri “Creole” Levalois
Heroine: Grace Summerville
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 1, 2002
Started On: April 2, 2011
Finished On: April 4, 2011

Nina Bruhns is an author who caught my eye when I first stumbled across her Passion for Danger series which I just devoured upon discovery. I found Nina Bruhns to write a well balanced romantic suspense whilst juggling a lot of characters, delivering edge of the seat suspense together with enough heat to make  her books the kind you can count on to keep you entertained throughout.

Sweet Revenge is the 2nd book in the New Orleans trilogy featuring the very hot Cajun hero, New Orleans Police Detective Auri “Creole” Levalois. Creole is a man who has survived the harshest and cruelest existence in life suffering at the hands of those who are bound to protect him. A victim of the mostly brutal foster care system, Creole’s only close friend is his foster brother Luke for whom Creole would lay down his very life for. Luke’s death at the hands of the notorious crime leader James Davies comes as a shock to Creole who vows revenge on the man who is responsible for his foster brother’s death. Creole’s only lead is to follow the trail of Gary Fox in the hopes that he would lead Creole right onto Davies’s doorstep.

Psychologist Grace Summerville travels to New Orleans to find out why her twin sister Muse Summerville has disappeared all of a sudden. Grace and Muse are as different from one another as night and day with Grace being the sensible and responsible one with Muse living up to her well earned reputation of being the wild one. Grace is pretending to be her sister Muse when her path crosses that of the sexy French Cajun detective who stirs up all her senses and makes her clamor for his attention each and every time they come across one another.

Creole is a man who is well versed in the art of female deception. That along with all the women in his life who has betrayed him till now makes Creole a man who is wary of feeling too much for anyone of the fairer sex. But even his well guarded heart is not immune from how all his senses go on red alert when he comes across the alluring Grace Summerville who he is keeping under surveillance thinking Grace to be Muse.

Grace who has sworn that she would never let herself fall for a wild and undependable man like her father finds herself nevertheless a helpless victim of desire when it comes to the wildly dangerous Creole who sets off all kinds of reactions of the right variety deep within her as they team up to find out what happened to Muse and to draw in Luke’s killer.

The mystery potion of the story is quite small with the main focus of the novel being on how the relationship devlops between Creole and Grace. Creole is a hero of the yummiest kind who whispers all the right erotic stuff in sexy Cajun which makes my knees go wobbly each and every time. He is a tortured hero who doesn’t come across as a brute, but rather is a man who has so many endearing qualities to him that I couldn’t help but fall hard and fast for him. Though his history is not overly much detailed, the reader is able to piece together a painful past which makes Creole a man who is doubly protective of his heart and trust.

Grace had grown up with a father who had upped and left when the going had gone tough. Past relationships had shown Grace that she doesn’t have the best taste in men, always ending up with someone who wants to live for the moment. So when Grace comes across Creole to whom her reaction is volatile at best, Grace does the next best thing and denies anything she feels for the man who kisses her senseless and makes her forget each and every sensible thought ever to cross her mind.

However, even when Grace witnesses firsthand the type of honorable man Creole is, even when he shows her over and over again how hard it is for him to trust people and nevertheless wins over his trust, even then Grace never fully understood Creole enough not to walk away from him towards the end. This fact rankled a bit for me with this story, made me feel at times that Grace didn’t deserve someone like Creole who has a broken soul which heals under the Grace’s tender ministrations. However, thankfully things did work out in the end, and I ended up with a huge grin on my face after reading the epilogue which shows my Creole all happy with the kind of love and family he has never had before.

If you are looking for a contemporary romance featuring a hot Cajun hero, a romance that features a bit of suspense to make things interesting, grab yourself a copy and read this one. Though I expected Creole to be a bit different from the hero he turned out to be, nevertheless he makes for a hero who induces all the right kinds of feelings making this a well rounded story in the end.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

goodread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Sweetest Thing by Jill Shalvis

Format: E-bookthesweetestthing
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Lucky Harbor Series, Book 2
Publisher: Forever
Hero: Ford Walker
Heroine: Tara Daniels
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 28, 2011
Started On: April 1, 2011
Finished On: April 2, 2011

I have been waiting eagerly for the release of the 2nd installment of The Lucky Harbor series, book 1 of which I enjoyed immensely. The Lucky Harbor series centers around 3 sisters, the death of whose mother Phoebe Traeger brings them together. The 3 sisters Maddie known as the Mouse, Tara as the Steel Magnolia and Chloe as the Wild One definitely make the stories come alive with the unique characteristics that each of them lend to the story.

Book 2 is the story of how the Steel Magnolia aka Tara Daniels gets a second chance with her first love Ford Walker whom she left behind 17 years back in Lucky Harbor. It had been when both of them were 17 years old that Tara had been sent to Lucky Harbor to spend summer with her mother, a relationship on tenuous grounds at best. Both Ford and Tara who come from broken families find something in each other that they are irresistibly drawn towards, making Tara give her heart, body and soul to the deliciously sinful and sexy as hell Ford. Their affair ends tragically when Tara finds out that she is not at all ready to deal with the consequences of a grown up relationship and sacrifices a big chunk of her heart by leaving Ford and giving up a vital piece of her to go back to life as she knew it.

17 years later, Tara comes back because of Phoebe’s will and stays far longer than she ever expected to when she finds herself making up one excuse after another to stay back. Ford, now a world class sailing expert who co-owns The Love Shack, the local bar with his best friend Jax seems to be as alluring as ever, a more lethal combination of charm that he so effortlessly wields together with his good looks that has women all over town fawning over him. Ford might be laid back and take the easy way out in life but that doesn’t mean that he is not affected when the woman who has haunted his dreams for far longer than he cares to count comes back to Lucky Harbor and starts stirring up feelings that Ford has long since thought dormant in him.

The one thing that has rankled Tara who is as uptight and anal retentive as they come is the fact that Ford had never deemed her important enough to stop her from walking away or to come after her when she had left him all those years ago. But even Tara’s backbone of steel is not enough to make her say no to the way Ford plays havoc with all her emotions – all in a deliciously good way. Things get interesting when Tara’s ex-husband comes back, looking for a second chance and to win back Tara’s affections making Ford seethe with the utter feelings of possessiveness that storms through him.

The Sweetest Thing, though it did not wow me as much as Simply Irresistible did, I still loved it to pieces. Ford Walker is the type of hero I can happily dream about for eons with his wickedly sinful nature that comes out to play and ruffle the feathers of the tightly buttoned up Tara. Ford is exactly what Tara needs in her life to loosen up, to find herself once again and take a second chance on falling in love and being loved. The wickedly sensual positions these two constantly find themselves in adds to the magic that Ms. Shalvis weaves with her stories in the Lucky Harbor series making this a well rounded addition to the series.

Jill Shalvis has a remarkable talent for writing stories that one minute has me laughing until my sides hurt and the next making me feel as if someone has sucker punched me quite well. The constant roller coaster of emotions that I have come to identify and revel in when it comes to this series was present in this story as well making it an utter delight to sink into the characters that make up the Lucky Harbor series. Ms. Shalvis has a way of making my toes curl completely inward and hum in delight a time or two with the very well done love scenes in the book.

Now I am completely focused on reading the 3rd book in the series, Head Over Heels which is to come out in December 2011. I think Chloe and Sawyer may yet come to be my favorite couple in the series with their totally opposite natures which is going to make for a very explosive addition to the series – hopefully!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Fight or Flight by Natalie J. Damschroder

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Tyler Sloane
Heroine: Chelsea Conrad/Regan Miller
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 28, 2011
Started On: March 27, 2011
Finished On: March 27, 2011

Natalie J. Damschroder is a new author for me. Having never heard of her before didn’t stop me from requesting for an ARC of this title on Netgalley, which is to be released on the 28th of this month from Carina Press. The cover was what drew me to the story at first and then the blurb gave the impression that this could be my kind of story. And from the very first chapter itself, Fight or Flight reeled me in and kept me captivated, turning the pages to reach its conclusion, to see how Regan and Sloan fare in the end.

37 year old Regan Miller is a woman who has been on the run, who has continually looked over her shoulder for any danger that may come for the past 19 years. Regan had lost her parents in a home invasion when she had been 12 years old and had become a victim of the foster care system from which she had escaped with the help of an excellent social worker who opened up the opportunity for her to enroll in an elite boarding school in California where she meets Scott Harrison the father of her daughter Kelsey. The news of Regan’s pregnancy had brought immense joy to Scott which had been short lived as Scott ends up giving up his life to save that of his pregnant girlfriend and to warn her to run for her life.

Regan is a woman who would do anything to keep her daughter safe, even if it means working hard at creating a facade of normalcy in their lives. Kelsea had grown up thinking that her mother suffers from psychological problems at worst, living life constantly at the edge waiting for a danger that had never materialized.

But the minute Regan lets her guard down enough to invite even a semblance of normalcy into her life, the danger that she has been waiting for explodes into her life without a care for the wake of destruction and chaos it leaves behind. 18 years of training and words of advice Regan has given kicks in when Kelsey receives the call that brings life as she knows it tumbling down right in front of her.

And thus begins a race against unknown enemies who are willing to cross anything or anyone that stands between them and Kelsey. It is Regan’s sexy next door neighbor of 2 years Tyler Sloane that steps into help at the most unexpected hour, someone who seems to know more about them than he lets on, earning Regan’s continued distrust as danger continues to greet them at every turn. However, even a lifetime habit of being wary around people doesn’t stop Regan from responding to the heat that flares between her and Tyler every time, a fire that burns out of control long before Tyler gains Regan’s full trust.

With surprising twists towards the end, Fight or Flight is a novel that lives up to its very well deserved title. Regan’s race to keep her daughter safe at all costs is one that requires her to be vigilant at all times, ready to fight dirty or to flee and get the hell out when the moment calls for it. The adventure of the nail-biting variety is non-stop which is complemented by the very well done and explosive scenes of passion between Tyler and Regan whose feelings blossom amidst all the chaos that reigns.

I enjoyed my first novel by Natalie immensely which features a kick-ass heroine who would lay down her very life for the daughter she loves. Tyler is a bit of a mystery throughout the story until towards the end when everything about him comes to light. Even then, the story is not told from his point of view at any stage in the story, but his feelings are well portrayed by other means which makes his feelings towards Regan seem more real.

My only peeve with the story is the lack of a proper ending; for me the way the story concluded seemed a  bit rushed. I would have loved to see Regan’s life with Tyler afterwards, a completely different Regan from the woman she has been forced to be for the past 18 years of her life.

I finish off my review with a quote from the story, the scene where Tyler tries to confess his feelings towards a Regan who is not at all ready to hear what he has got to say – lending the moments that follow a more emotional wrangling quality which would have not been possible if otherwise.

“Regan.”
It was low, almost pleading. The curtain moved slightly. Regan pulled away from the wall and slid it sideways enough to see his face, and the pain and hope there almost undid her.
“Tyler,” she whispered, and then there was no space to say more. He caught her against him, his towel falling to the floor, his mouth capturing hers in a desperate, plunging kiss. One hand braced on the back of her neck and the other just above her hips, he stepped over the edge of the tub and crowded her against the wall.
Regan fell. Not physically, because she held him as tightly as he held her, and neither one was letting go. But she fell just the same, into a swirling maelstrom of desire and fear and need.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Carina Press

amazingread