Category / Toe Curler!!

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Demon Rumm by Sandra Brown

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Loveswept, #197
Publisher: Bantam
Sensuality: 3
Hero: Rylan North
Heroine: Kirsten Rumm
Date of Publication:  May 1, 1987
Started On: January 17, 2010
Finished On: January 17, 2010

This is the only book of romance genre that I have read to date that tells the story solely from the hero’s point of view. Though this proved to be a refreshing change, this story didn’t hold its usual Sandra Brown charm to it.

Rylan a hot shot movie star is the leading male star in the movie Demon Rumm. This movie is about the daring stunt pilot Charlie Rumm, nicknamed as Demon Rumm, who died during one of his stunts, whose death is shrouded in a cloud of  mystery as to whether he committed suicide or whether his death was an accident.

The story Demon Rumm was being authored by his widowed wife, Kirsten Rumm, who wants to exorcise all the ghosts of her marriage  to Charlie and start afresh away from the public eye and glory which she was continually subjected to during her marriage to Charlie.

Rylan, being the perfectionist he is, worms his way into staying at the Rumm’s residence to reenact the last few days of Charlie’s life, and to really get a feel of what family life was like for the handsome as the devil pilot who seemed to have everything in life.

Rylan finds himself intrigued with Kirsten and tries to woo her into  his life, although this proves to be easier said than done with all the hang ups and reservations that Kirsten seems to have about starting a new relationship and falling in love again.

An OK read, but a bit disappointing to those who love the usual style depicted in Sandra Brown’s novels.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | AbeBooks | Half.com

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Her Secret Fling by Sarah Mayberry

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Blaze , Book 517
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Jake Stevens
Heroine: Poppy Birmingham
Date of Publication: January 1, 2010
Started On: January 12, 2010
Finished On: January 12, 2010

Aaah! Finally a book that has left me satisfied on all aspects after a long time. Sarah Mayberry is one of my favorite Harlequin Blaze line authors and it does help that her book titles do not make me cringe, and the fact that they contain believable stories of men and women who fall in love with each other.

Poppy Birmingham an ex-star swimmer who has gold medals  to her name, takes up a job offer on writing for the sports column of one of the most prestigious newspapers in Australia. There she comes face to face with Jake Stevens, someone whose style of writing Poppy has admired from the very start.

However, Poppy is left with the impression that Jake is hardly what she has pictured him to be. Callous to  the point of being rude, Jake lays it out that Poppy doesn’t deserve to just walk in and attain a job that takes journalists years of studying and experience to claim.

However, Jake is proven wrong when Poppy proves to be persistent in what she does, and a quirk twist of fate ends both of them together alone on a road trip back from Melbourne. Pitted together with nowhere else to go, Poppy and Jake reluctantly come to realize that rather than the initial dislike that they thought they felt for each other, both of them were coming to find qualities that they liked in each other immensely. Not to mention the scorching hot passion that flares between them when Jake offers to teach Poppy the wonders of sex.

Quirky dialogues between the two characters kept the pages turning and when Poppy finds herself inevitably in love with Jake, with no sign whatsoever from Jake to show that he might feel the same way, and Jake but all pushing away Poppy without really trusting her and letting her in makes Poppy realize that their no-named relationship had been doomed from the start.

Jake has his own reasons, with a failed marriage on his conscience, which has made him into someone who absolutely has nothing left to give. However, unknowingly, the time spent with Poppy slowly works its magic on Jake and ultimately Jake and Poppy get the happy ending which they both deserve.

I loved this book. Sarah Mayberry sure knows how to pen a fantastic story. Highly recommended to those who love Blaze line stories.

Purchase Links: Amazon | BooksOnBoard 

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: E-mail Order Bride by Kathy Lynn Emerson

Format: E-book
Read with: Adobe Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Belgrave House
Hero: Chase Forster
Heroine: Leslie Baynton
Date of Publication:  April 1, 1998
Started On: January 11, 2010
Finished On: January 12, 2010

Previously titled as Sight Unseen, this is a sweet romance coupled with an instant family and the problems that go along with such a family. Chase Forster, a probation officer in the local office of the department of corrections, meets Leslie Baynton in an online chat forum designed for mystery book lovers. Leslie a shy woman in her 30’s finds that she and Chase share a lot of stuff in common and their friendship continues to grow online. Exchange of e-mails daily gives glimpses and insight into the lives of each other and although both of them seems to be curious to meet one another face to face, none of them wants to voice their desire to do so.

Their friendship continues until during a moment of impulse, Chase asks Leslie to be his e-mail order bride. Chase has been handed over the responsibility of taking care of his niece Calico and Jeremy his nephew both in their teens,  of his deceased brother Jake. Jake and his various forays into criminal activities had finally ended up in killing himself, whilst his wife had ended up in jail for writing fraudulent checks. Leslie who has never had kids of her own but yearns for them with her only experience with kids being the relationship she has with her close to perfect niece and nephew, really has no idea what she is in for.

Leslie and Chase meet and find that they are comfortable with each other in real life as in the cyber world and both feel the immense attraction that crops up during the first meeting. Marriage which seemed to be a practical solution and one of mutual benefit to both Chase and Leslie turns out to be a journey of discovery of feelings that continue to grow between them as well as the relationship that starts to forge between a troubled Jeremy who wants to make things for Leslie as difficult as possible.

A book that portrays love, passion and real family problems, this book is a sweet and heartwarming read that would leave you feeling good on the inside afterwards.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble| BooksOnBoard

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Ruthless Magnate, Convenient Wife by Lynne Graham

Format: E-book
Read with: MS Word
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Pregnant Brides, Book 2
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Sergei Antonovich
Heroine: Alissa
Date of Publication: November 2009
Started On: January 11, 2010
Finished On: January 11, 2010

Apart from the cringe worthy title, this story is okay for a light read. Packed with the essential ingredients of a Harlequin romance, Lynne Graham has spun a mildly interesting and yet the usually predictable type of story that the Harlequin line is famous for.

Russian billionaire Sergei Antonovich, complete with a football team under his name (which sort of reminds me of Chelsea’s owner) is the typical Harlequin romance hero, with billions to his name, complete with the adoring set of blonde bimbo’s who form an adoring circle around him with a hard childhood, rotten parents and a badly ended marriage which has left him with a cynical outlook of all women in general. However the one person that he holds dear to his heart is his grandma who turned his life around when both his parents died when Sergei was a sullen teenager looking for all sorts of trouble. Sergei’s grandmother, who refuses to bask in the countless wealth at her grandson’s fingertips yearns to see the day her grandson settles down and gives her a great grand child to dote on.

With a bitter first marriage that still leaves a bad taste in his mouth, Sergei decides to approach the task of  finding a wife who would bear him a child with the well intentioned plan of leaving the wife by gaining the sole custody of the child borne. One person who applies for the placement is Alissa’s twin Alexa. As typical in most Harlequin romances, Alexa is the ‘evil’ twin per se who takes advantage of Alissa, the sweet and angelic twin for whom the only thing missing is just a halo on her head. That being said, Alexa tricks Alissa into going ahead with the marriage, and Alissa finds herself of course captivated by the mesmerizing man Sergei is.

The desire and passion is scorching hot, and amidst the fragile relationship that forms between Sergei and Alissa, the actual story behind how Alissa got ‘tricked’ into this contractual marriage rears its ugly head and threatens to drive a wedge between both of them. However, as usual, Sergei finds himself unable to let her go until Alissa has appeased all the hunger he has for her, which in an anti-climatic ending turns out to be that Sergei falls in love with Alissa from the moment that he lays his eyes on her. So typical!

Anyhow, this was an okay read. Disappointed though that Lynne Graham doesn’t weave the magic she used to. With her previous short novels like Angel of Darkness that had the power to leave a gut wrenching ache in your heart and make you cry happy tears at the sappy endings, the novels that come out now tend to be total letdowns in terms of those stories.

Purchase Links: BooksOnBoard | Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Night Angel by Renee Reeves

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Black Velvet Seductions Sensuous Journeys
Hero: Nick Evanoff
Heroine: Morgan
Date of Publication: February 22, 2009
Started On: January 9, 2010
Finished On: January 10, 2010

This book kept popping up as a deeply loved romance by a lot of readers in many a discussion forums on Amazon. I managed to grab a copy of this and I have to say that based on the nature of the theme of this romance as well this book being the first of the author, this was an okay read for me.

Nick Evanoff, an ex-convict who served time for murder, is a horse trainer who treats abused horses and redefines the word ‘patience’ throughout this novel. Morgan, a woman who has been beaten and scarred emotionally and physically by her now dead husband, settles down in the neighboring cottage on Nick’s land.

Nick catches the first glimpse of this lone and battered woman sitting near a lake on his property and feels an undeniable pull towards Morgan. However when Nick gets to meet Morgan and realizes what she has gone through, although they both cannot deny the effect they have on one another, Nick deems himself unworthy of someone like Morgan and though Nick slowly and excruciatingly wins over the trust and love of Morgan, the crust of their problems in the end lies within the fact that Nick cannot make himself tell Morgan why he was labelled as an ex-convict in the first place.

Although many readers seemed to have found a ‘calling’ within themselves answered in this book, I found it at times excruciating to read just how much patience Nick had to put into woo Morgan. But then again the amount of abuse that was heaped upon Morgan, described in vivid details at times makes it all understandable at some point. But then again, I am not someone who is patient even when the need arises for me to be and maybe that’s why I didn’t feel that sense of having read a gut wrenching & heart warming story when I finished this novel. And maybe, just maybe it had something to do with the fact that Nick continues to be the one who gives and gives in this story and Morgan when at the last moment at first judges Nick when she knows firsthand that Nick deserves the benefit of the doubt, I think that made me a bit peeved with Morgan that made this novel earn not such a good place on my keeper shelf.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | AbeBooks

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Led Astray by Sandra Brown

Format: E-bookledastray.jpg
Read with: Microsoft Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Hell Raisers, Book 1
Publisher: Mira
Hero: Cage Hendren
Heroine: Jenny Fletcher
Date of Publication: March 1, 2005
Started On: December 29, 2009
Finished On: January 1, 2010

This was a book written by the author under one of her pseudonyms Erin St. Claire during the 1980’s. This is a re-read for me, as it happens mostly with me cos every now and then I always remember this story and how much I loved the book when I first read it.

Cage Hendren is the second son of Reverend Bob Hendren and his wife Sarah, both of whom have never disguised the fact that they find Cage and his wild ways despicable. Hal their first born had always been the one who has had their affection and love as he was the one who was following the footsteps of his father. Jenny Fletcher is brought into the Hendren family when her parents and only sister were killed in a fire at their home. Having nowhere to go, the Hendrens had taken her in and brought her up as one of their own.

Hal and Jenny were expected to get married, and Jenny never one to want to create disharmony amongst the people who had loved her like their own has gone along with the plans and convinced herself that being Hal’s wife is what she wants in life. Meanwhile, Cage has always loved Jenny from afar though Hal and Jenny are practically engaged to be married.

When Hal goes off on a mission to rescue some refugees from a war torn country and gets killed in the process, Jenny finds herself depending on Cage and finds out that Cage is not the wild and crazy person that everyone portrays him to be. In the process of falling in love with Cage, Jenny finds the strength within herself and help from Cage to become the woman she needs to be.

Lovely story with two strong characters and interesting plot to keep things going.

Till next time!

And a wonderful new year to everyone!

Purchase Links: Amazon | AbeBooks | Barnes&Noble | Half.com

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Texas! Sage by Sandra Brown

Format: E-booktexassage
Read with: Microsoft Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Texas!, Book 3
Publisher: Bantam
Hero: Harlan Boyd
Heroine: Sage Tyler
Date of Publication: February 1, 1992
Started On: December 27, 2009
Finished On: December 29, 2009

The 3rd and final book in the Tyler family’s series, this is the story of the youngest and the only daughter Sage Tyler. Sage who just finished her Masters Degree from the University of Texas and is engaged to be married to Travis from a moneyed background, who is on his way to become a dentist, suddenly finds herself without a fiancé when Travis breaks up with her on Christmas Eve.

Harlan Boyd who has been sent by her family because Chase’s wife Marcie is in labor witnesses the breakup and Sage finds herself meeting with the new hired help of their company Tyler Drilling. No man has infuriated her or been able to invoke feelings as savage in her as Harlan does.

Harlan who is a drifter who never stays in one place long enough to settle down finds that he is unable to stay away from Sage no matter what the consequences of a relationship with her might be.

Although this story is not as wonderful as Chase’s story, it was pretty good, though I felt the story line could have been better with a more believable explanation for Harlan’s behavior at the end.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | AbeBooks | Half.com

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Texas! Chase by Sandra Brown

Format: E-booktexaschase
Read with: Adobe Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Texas!, Book 2
Publisher: Bantam
Hero: Chase Tyler
Heroine: Marcie Jones
Date of Publication: August 1, 1991
Started On: December 26, 2009
Finished On: December 27, 2009

This book is Sandra Brown at her best.

The Texas! series features the Tyler family. The first book focuses on Lucky, the second book being this one and third book is the story of their younger sister Sage Tyler. All three books provide unforgettable romance with searing passion. I read this book quite sometime back and remembered it to be my favorite. I always tend to love a romance which has a previous history linking the hero and heroine in some manner whether it be romantic or otherwise.

Marcie Jones nicknamed Goosey for being nerdy during the years of high school which she shared with Chase and had a major crush on him, is now a successful real estate agent having amassed quite a fortune with her work. She meets Tanya, Chase’s beloved wife, when they seek to buy a house for themselves before their baby comes along. On the way back from viewing the house Marcie was sure would make a lovely home for Tanya and Chase, a senseless accident kills the pregnant Tanya and leaves Marcie with serious but not life threatening injuries. Chase’s world is shattered when in a day’s time he loses his beloved wife and their child who had not even had the chance to breathe into this world.

Two years later, Marcie encounters Chase at a rodeo where he nearly gets himself killed on the arena. Marcie stays with him during his brief time at the hospital and finally brings Chase back home since the accident. Whilst Chase has been away immersing himself in alcohol and whoring, their family business Tyler Drilling had gone under and things look really bad for them until Marcie proposes that Chase marry her in order for her to help bail out their business. The idea seems ridiculous to Chase at first but soon he makes up his mind to go along with the marriage even though Chase’s family doesn’t feel too comfortable about the decision.

Marcie has her work cut out for her in a marriage where she has to fight with Chase every step of the way to gain his trust, affection and love. Chase determined not to betray the memory of his loving wife doesn’t want to acknowledge the intense feelings that Marcie is able to invoke in him and this ultimate battle of wills proves to be a scorching read. Loved every minute of the sexual tension between the two characters hot enough to scorch the memory chips of my laptop.

Loved every bit of the novel. Highly recommended to anyone who loves a good dose of romance packed with a brooding hero who I guarantee you would make your hearts go aflutter.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | AbeBooks | Half.com

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Dream A Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Format: E-book
Read with: Microsoft Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Chicago Stars, Book 4
Publisher: Avon
Hero: Gabe Bonner
Heroine: Rachel Stone
Date of Publication: February 1, 1998
Started On: December 25, 2009
Finished On: December 26, 2009

The next book in the Chicago Stars series, this is the story of Gabe Bonner, younger brother of Cal from Nobody’s Baby But Mine. There were tidbits of Gabe’s story in the previous novel and my interest was piqued to find out whether the author had ever gotten around to writing Gabe’s story since I felt in my gut that it would be a fabulous one and I’ve got to say it definitely has been a worthwhile read.

Gabe Bonner, a man who lost everything he held dear to his heart when his wife Cherry and son Jamie died in a hit and run accident is a man who just goes through the motions of living a life. A veterinarian who has no interest in healing animals after the accident, he turns all his attention to fixing up the drive-in movie theater in town just so that it would give him something to do to keep those dark memories at bay.

Rachel Stone, a woman who is nearly at the end of her wits for the constant struggle for survival of her and her young son Edward Stone, is a woman who is scorned and hated by everyone in Salvation. Her ex-husband Dwayne had been a televangelist who had ripped the community of their savings, the sole blame of which Dwayne had successfully swayed his followers to believe lay on Rachel’s shoulders. Even then, Rachel is determined to make things work for her son and in a desperate attempt to earn money forces Gabe to hire her to work at the drive-in even though he makes it no secret that he can’t stand to be around Edward and her.

However, gradually Rachel and Gabe both find that they can’t deny the need they arouse in each other, though Gabe still has problems communicating with Edward, who thinks Gabe is no good for his mother. On one side of the story is the tale of how Ethan Bonner the reverend of  Salvation finds himself having to confront his feelings for his life long friend and secretary Kristy who has always loved Ethan from afar.

With everyone except Gabe, Kristy and Jane rooting for Rachel, and a town full of people who refuse to hide their animosity for her, Rachel and Gabe finds that within themselves lie an unending amount of courage to face anything and that this woman who has not a penny to her name and survives with dignity and pride can finally heal Gabe and teach him how to love again.

This story is one packed with complex relationships and emotions that leaves one wanting to finish the book till the last page is through. I loved every bit of the Connor brothers’ stories and have to say that Susan Elizabeth Phillips has done a marvelous job in creating such wonderful characters that would stay with you for a long time even after you finish the series.

Purchase Links: BooksOnBoard | Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Half.com

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Format: E-book
Read with: Adobe Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Chicago Stars, Book 3
Publisher: Avon
Hero: Cal Bonner
Heroine: Dr. Jane Darlington
Date of Publication:February 1, 1997
Started On: December 22, 2009
Finished On: December 25, 2009

Dr. Jane Darlington may be a brilliant physics scientist but she doesn’t really have a clue about what life is all about. Growing up alone with a father, who didn’t know what to do with such a brilliant child with no love lost between father and daughter, all Dr. Jane yearns for is a child of her own, whom she would protect with every fiber of her being, so that mockery & isolation from fellow peers is not the only thing her child would know in life. The only problem for Dr. Jane is finding a suitable candidate to father her child, someone who is dumb enough to compensate for her brilliance so that their child would not be labelled a ‘freak’. By a twist of fate, Dr. Jane meets with Jodie, one of the groupies that were forever after the Chicago Stars, who had been assigned the task of finding a high class prostitute as a birthday present for Cal Bonner.

Someone whose career in football is about to end, Cal Bonner doesn’t do commitment well. Afraid of acknowledging the fact that his high profile career is about to end, Cal doesn’t want or need anyone tying him down. Jodie finds the suitable candidate to pose as Cal’s birthday present from the team members when she meets Dr. Jane and quite by chance finds Dr. Jane fascinated with Cal Bonner thinking him to be a dumb jock, a highly suitable candidate to father her child.

Thus begins the highly entertaining story of how Cal finds himself with a woman who is able to give as good as she gets, someone who has an uncanny understanding of himself, and someone who could really get under his skin if he ain’t careful about it. Finding out that Dr. Jane tricked him into getting herself pregnant with his child, when he wasn’t ready at all for such a thing, pushes Cal over the edge and demands Dr. Jane to marry him and vows he would destroy Jane for tricking him and cheating him out of what he wants in life.

Throw in the highly unusual members of Cal’s family and you have got on your hands one hell of an enjoyable romance. I loved every bit of Cal’s and Jane’s encounters filled with moments of laughter, uncertainty, scorching passion and unbeatable romance with a great happy ending at the end. Highly recommended!

Purchase Links: BooksOnBoard | Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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