by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: How a Cowboy Stole Her Heart by Donna Alward

Format: E-bookhowacowboystoleherheart
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Romance, #4270
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Clay Gregory
Heroine: Megan Briggs
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 1, 2011
Started On: September 21, 2011
Finished On: September 22, 2011

I have identified with the fact that Donna Alward writes romances that practically seeps with bittersweet emotions until towards the very end which of course delivers the reader with a happily ever after that is that much sweeter because of the fact. Though not highly sensual in nature, Donna Alward still manages to deliver sexual tension of the toe curling variety amidst all the deeper and messy emotions she makes her characters confront, and that is one reason why I would continue to read her books.

How a Cowboy Stole Her Heart is deceptive in the way its title and blurb are presented. Deceptive I say because I delved into the story expecting a light and fluffy read which would make me feel on top of the world towards the end. However, from page one, you learn that Megan Briggs (Meg) is a survivor of breast cancer, having had one of her breasts removed because of the ravaging disease. She had left her hometown in Larch Valley behind to pursue her treatment and a year on, she is back home determined that she would put away her silly dreams that features her rugged and sexy cowboy neighbor who happens to be her brother’s best friend.

The last time Clay Gregory had talked to Meg it had ended up in a huge verbal confrontation that had concluded in them going their separate ways; Meg for her treatment and Clay to resume his day-to-day life unable to face the fact that someone he cares deeply about has to go through the very same thing that had killed his father and torn his family apart. Clay is a man who holds true to his belief that love and marriage are facets of life better left untouched and is determined that none of that would ever have a place in his life.

When Clay encounters a recovered Meg, she is so much different from the sweet woman he remembers. This Meg stares at him with eyes full of fire, defiance and the will to live her life on her terms stamped all over her face. And  though Clay feels small stirrings of something akin to desire for Meg the stubborn little chit who had always stuck like glue to him when he was growing up, Clay has no intention of acting on any of those feelings that makes him squirm, that is until Meg does a number on him at his aunt Stacy’s wedding which has Clay rapidly reaching out for his crumbling iron-clad control.

Though Meg tries to crush the tendrils of hope that unfurl whenever she is around Clay, the constant misunderstandings that leap out due to their different attitudes towards life and the stuff that scares them both makes it inevitable that a relationship between herself and Clay would never survive the many a tough times that may come ahead. But with Clay equally determined to prove otherwise, it is a battle of wills these two embark upon which makes their ultimate surrender that much more meaningful.

I have to admit that even though there were parts of the story that worked for me such as the tendrils of sexual tension between Meg and Clay that was delicious and heady as they come, to the side characters such as Jen and Tara who all seem to have quite interesting stories of their own to tell, there were certain elements within the story that didn’t quite make the cut for me. I didn’t quite warm up to either Clay or Meg though there are bits and pieces in their characters that makes them endearing and appealing at times. I can’t quite put my finger on why it was so with Clay but with Meg it was the way she wanted to prevent anything from happening between her and Clay because she didn’t want to put Clay through the emotional turmoil of a remission of the cancer which is always a possibility with cancer survivors. The way she makes the decision for Clay without even contemplating the rapidly changing feelings between them didn’t seem to sit with me quite that well.

Even then, I found myself pulled in with the constant whirlwind of emotions that courses through Meg as she tries and walks ahead into a future that is an uncertain one. But her determination and courage through it all just amazed me and I was rooting for her all the way through those moments. Light hearted and fluffy is certainly not what this romance is about, but engrossing and a good deal of emotion it certainly delivers and I would recommend this one for fans of Donna Alward.

Momentous Scenes

  • The moment Clay lays eyes on the altogether made over Meg whose beauty and lure at that moment just shocks him to the very core! *Sigh!*
  • The first kiss. Sizzling hot!

Favorite Quotes

She unlocked the door, but before she could turn the knob his hand covered hers. She turned and froze.
“Clay,” she warned, but it was too late.
His arm came around her, lifted her feet clear off the floor as he kissed her: hot, demanding, and all encompassing.
His mouth was soft, hot and devastating. Megan let the shock ripple deliciously through her as she clutched his shoulders. There was a small thunk as the house key dropped to the step. Even through the layers of his tuxedo and her coat Meg felt the hardness of his body against her.

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: The Dragon and the Pearl by Jeannie Lin

thedragonandthepearl

Format: E-book
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Harlequin Historical Publisher Series
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Li Tao
Heroine: Ling Suin
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: September 21, 2011
Started On: September 20, 2011
Finished On: September 20, 2011

No true fan of romance can read Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin and escape without wanting to find out more about General Li Tao. And Jeannie Lin certainly doesn’t disappoint fans of her ultra unique historical romances set in the Tang Dynasty, China with this installment. Towards the end of my review for Butterfly Swords I mentioned my utter and at times reluctant fascination with Li Tao who served to be at first the villian and then somehow turned the tables around on me. Little did I know that Li Tao’s character was one that intrigued the author herself so much that she just had to write his story, a fact for which I am eternally grateful.

It is 759 AD and a period of political upheaval in China during which time the military governors known as the jiedushi, commanded their own regional forces independent of the Emperor’s army. It is during this period of turmoil that Lady Ling Suin, an accomplished courtesan who had been favored by the previous emperor finds herself being taken away from her home by none other than one of the most feared generals in China, General Li Tao.

Li Tao’s only intention at first is to remove her from harm’s way though he cannot deny the lure of her beauty anymore than he can deny the rising sun. Though every elegant move on Ling Suin’s part speaks of seduction and half truths that hides the real woman inside, Li Tao cannot help but be ensnared by the desire that races through him for a woman who could prove to be as lethal as that a sword plunged deep into his heart.

Both Li Tao and Ling Suin’s characters are shaped up by less than ideal childhoods, one having grown up on the streets fending for himself whilst the other had been bartered off for a pretty coin for the family’s next meal. Being the Emperor’s concubine for fifteen years meant that Ling Suin was resigned to a life of loneliness until death comes calling. But in Li Tao’s embrace, Ling Suin finds a man who would bend heaven and earth for the taste of a woman whose legend precedes her, the reality of it all when it comes to light manages to not only send Li Tao but the reader as well into a tailspin.

Once again, I am rendered speechless by Jeannie Lin’s ability to create such a riveting and poignant story, her ability to create strong and endearing characters that just demands nothing less but one’s total surrender as the reader. The way Jeannie spins her story weaving one word with another to create sheer magic that just pulls in the reader amazes me. And the tone she sets throughout is so in tune with the time period and the culture of a race shrouded in so much mystery that one cannot help but want to learn more.

Li Tao is a wonderful hero. The silent, tattooed, merciless assassin variety that I can sit around and dream about all day long. A man who thinks honor is no part of him when he wears it like his own skin, inseparable from the essence of who he is. His reluctant fascination with Ling Sui which penetrates through the emptiness that shrouds his heart is one of the most fascinating aspects of the story, his interactions with Ling Suin an intricately woven dance that serves many a time as the most sensual forms of foreplay on which Jeannie certainly delivers.

Ling Suin serves to be his exact opposite, and yet the similarities between them astounds as well as you read along. Having being forced to use her wits, her beauty and seductive viles for so long, Ling Suin at first knows not what to expect from a man who surrounds himself with men of the highest calibre, loyal to the bone and yet remains a lone wolf who doesn’t even realize the fact. Even though every survival instinct within her tells her to step away and leave Li Tao’s alluring form behind, she cannot help but yearn fiercely for the emotions that courses through her whenever Li Tao takes her in his arms. And it is not long before their arrangement brings forth emotions and feelings neither expects to feel for the other and it is a wonderful, wonderful way to pass the time by being a part of their journey towards happily ever after.

I loved how Li Tao and Ling Suin’s pasts are shared with the reader throughout, making both of them more appealing with each flashback. The sensuality and sexual tension between Li Tao and Ling Suin is off the charts hot, and underneath all that taut sensuality, Jeannie manages to tell a tale of political treachery and war not unlike what we see in the world today.

If you haven’t already read a Jeannie Lin book, you should definitely remedy the fact, especially if you are a fan of historical romances in exotic and unusual settings. This is as exotic and unusual as they come and one thing is for sure; none can fault Jeannie’s way with the words that captures you right from the very start. And I would recommend that if you are planning on reading The Dragon and the Pearl, better start off with The Butterfly Swords; just to embrace and enjoy the full impact of Li Tao’s character, which otherwise you might miss out on!

Truly remarkable and utterly fascinating, this one makes a beeline towards my favorites shelf for 2011.

Favorite Quotes

Li Tao had caught a single glimpse of her the first time he had been to the palace. The hunger that had gripped him had been immediate and all-consuming. He had been a young man then and had hungered for many things: acclaim, respect and power. The sight of her now, more than a decade later, stirred nothing but a faint echo of that forgotten desire.

She expected the descent of his mouth, but never would have anticipated the gentleness of the kiss. Her lips parted as his explored hers. His fingertips lifted to her cheek in an undemanding, but undeniably possessive caress. She nearly allowed her eyes to fall closed. She almost yielded against the heat and pressure and the slow stir of his mouth. Instead she dug her nails sharply into the flesh of her palms. She fastened her eyes on to his, permitting the kiss, but never surrendering.

She played with her eyes closed. He closed his own eyes, joining her in the darkness. She had said the song depicted a battle, but nothing of the sort came to mind, no lofty images of horses and banners waving or battalions clashing over hills. Only darkness and a pure sound that filled him, creeping into spaces he hadn’t known were empty.

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Altered Destiny by Shawna Thomas

Format: E-bookaltereddestiny
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Series: Standalone
Sensuality: 3
Hero: Jaden
Heroine: Selia
Date of Publication: September 19, 2011
Started On: September 16, 2011
Finished On: September 18, 2011

Altered Destiny by Shawna Thomas is a novel that is going to be well received by fans of urban-fantasy romances with a bit of adventure tossed right into the mix. Though fantasy romances aren’t that high on my favorites list in the world of romance, even with the first couple of chapters Shawna Thomas managed to reel me in and hold my attention until it was difficult for me to imagine anything else but the wondrous world which she has spun so well in this novel.

There are the good old-fashioned humans and a race known as the Svistra whose savagery and notorious thirst for blood and pillaging keeps the humans awake at night. 20 year old Selia lives on the Outskirts and is the owner of the tavern that her mother left behind upon her death 5 years back. Though well versed in the art of defending herself, when it comes to love and desire, Selia is an innocent all the way. 

When Selia rescues a man being beaten to death only to find out that he is a Svistra, the uncomplicated life that she has known till then changes completely, plunging her into a world filled with uncertainty, treachery, man’s thirst for vengeance and war and last but not the least the possibility of finding ever lasting love in the last place she expects to find it.

When Jaden’s golden gaze lands on his savior little does he know that the fearless woman who stands before him would come to mean everything to him. Having turned his back on his own race because his ideas didn’t mesh with that of his father who is the leader of the Svistra, Jaden makes his way through the many different terrains that makes up their world until his journey brings him to the Outskirts and Selia with her gentle giant of a companion Oren. 

Never having being one to turn away a man or animal in need, the forced intimacy that caring for an injured brings to light the fact that humans may not have the complete picture when it comes o the Svistra. Jaden proves to be the opposite of what Selia has believed to be of the Svistra until now and when time and time again Jaden proves his loyalty, honesty and integrity in boundless different ways, Selia is no match to her heart’s yearning for a man whose mere presence alone is enough to send her whole world into a tailspin.

Jaden might want to do the honorable thing and stay away when it comes to Selia but his heart’s yearning for a woman who seals her fate unknowingly by joining him in the most scared manner possible is one that refuses to be denied. But Jaden knows that without going back and facing those whom he has left behind and winning over the treacherous ruler who leads the whole Svistra clans towards endless war, there would never be a peaceful future for either the humans or the Svistra.

Opening up a world that has so many intriguing aspects to it that I couldn’t help but want even a crudely drawn map of where everything was situated, Altered Destiny tells the tale of brave men and a woman willing to fight for what they believe in. Jaden’s character is an alluring one, one who made my heart yearn for him and of course love him because he has that inner strength that lets him be true to himself and what he believes in. Jaden’s honesty and integrity is what drew me most towards his character, and the way he is possessive of Selia even when he believes he has nothing of substance to offer her made my heart go pitter patter.

Selia is a wonderful heroine whom I loved from the instance she couldn’t turn her back on a wounded man. Even knowing that caring for a Svistra would end up in herself paying for it in blood doesn’t stop her from doing what’s right. The slow awakening of Selia’s senses when it comes to Jaden is something to be savored. And a heroine who doesn’t believe in being coy and has no qualms about being herself is one that always earns my wholehearted approval. Worthy of a mention is her relationship with Oren, a man gentle as he is huge, a character who will remain with me for a long time even after I am done with the book. His simplistic view on life, right and wrong proved to be quite refreshing in a novel that practically seeps with half truths and the treachery that goes right along with the hunger for ultimate power.

Though there were certain aspects of the novel such as the occasional swear words which just felt out of place with the whole tone set for the rest of the story and the fact that the final showdown between Jaden and his brother never fully materialized in the novel, I still enjoyed this immensely and would definitely recommend this to fans of the genre.

One character from the story that I would love a future book to be based on, if Ms. Thomas ever thinks of writing a sequel is Nathan. If Jaden had not been in the picture, I would have completely given myself over to him. And even with Jaden in the picture, his character nevertheless proved to be a compelling one, which is telling in itself how remarkable a talent Ms. Thomas has when it comes to creating her characters.

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Something So Right by Elyse Mady

Format: E-booksomethingsoright.JPG
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Sam Denning
Heroine: Lillian Carver
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: September 19, 2011
Started On: September 15, 2011
Finished On: September 16, 2011

Something So Right is a novel that is centered around one of my all time favorite tropes in the romance genre. The stories of best friends turning into lovers, the conflict, the sexual tension and their journey towards happily ever after is a theme I would never tire of. That is one reason why I requested for a galley of this title from Netgalley and though I didn’t like some aspects of the story that unfolded, I would still consider this to be an okay read.

30 year old Sam Denning is the hero from the wrong side of town, who grew up with a single mother who barely made ends meet whilst juggling three jobs to provide something better for Sam and his two younger sisters. Now the successful owner of a general contracting business that he builds from ground up, Sam still carries on his shoulder the remnants of his past that makes him feel he is still the little boy from the poor side of town that would never measure up. Though Sam has loved Lily ever since he turned up on her doorstep looking for gardening odd jobs 15 years back, Sam continues to hide his feelings from Lily which becomes harder by the day.

Lillian Carver (Lily) is the owner and operator of the Three Pines Lodge and Resort, an exclusive and wildly successful holiday camp on the shores of Lake Mississing, one of Muskoka’s most sought after holiday destinations. Lily returns home after leaving behind her abusive ex-fiance who does a huge number on her self-esteem and worth as a woman. Shying away from any sort of relationship with the opposite sex is how Lily copes with the trauma of her one serious relationship from the past. And though Lily at times wonders why she and Sam has never gone down the road of finding out whether there could be more to their relationship than just friendship, she stifles those urges as Sam has permanent stamped over his forehead for everyone to see.

When Sam finally takes the chance and plunges their relationship into churning waters filled with uncertainty, it is Lily who comes up with the plan that she and Sam enter into a purely sexual affair and go their separate ways when their two weeks is up. But from the start, Sam’s vulnerability when it comes to Lily pierces through his hard won control and forces Lily to confront the fact that with Sam nothing could ever be casual and that she too is not invulnerable enough to walk away unscathed once their affair runs its course.

Something So Right brings to light the fact that Elyse Mady is an author who definitely has potential in delivering a romance. She writes the sexual tension aspect of the story so well and certainly knows a thing or two when it comes to delivering on that scorching heat generated by her hero and heroine. And she definitely knows her way around a hero who would appeal to the female reading population and in Sam she has seemed to create an all around sexy, charming and endearing hero that makes for a wonderful hero.

My disappointment of the story stems from the heroine Lily whose actions throughout the novel I had a very hard time understanding and relating to. She comes off as selfish and too childish at times, never really understanding the depth of goodness in Sam her best friend for the past fifteeen years. I can totally get on board with the aspects of emotional scars left behind after an abusive relationship, but projecting her ex-fiance’s failures on Sam just rubbed me the wrong way. In the end, I just couldn’t stomach her hot and cold attitude towards their changing relationship and I felt that Lily is a heroine who definitely doesn’t deserve a wonderful man like Sam.

Towards the end I found myself going back and forth between conflicting vibes from the story. There were moments when Lily’s self pity lets her talk about living up to her family’s name, but nowhere in the story did I encounter any reason for her to feel that way about her family.

Though there were many disappointing aspects to the story, I would still give Elyse Mady a go because the tone she sets in her story is one worth delving into. A better heroine who can stand up for the man who has always stood by her side would go a long way into making this one more appealing and I hope Elyse does write a story for Lily’s older sister who seems like she has a story worth telling.

Momentous Scenes

  • The first scorching kiss that Sam and Lily shares. All the ingredients that make up for an out of this world kiss right there!
  • The way Sam comforts the broken Lily when she first leaves her good for nothing ex-fiance behind. Totally sweet and made me fall for Sam’s character like a ton of bricks.

Favorite Quotes

But as the sun slipped even further, his eyes weren’t drawn to the horizon. He watched Lily as she stood on the dock, glorying in the golden ritual, her russet hair slipping free from its ponytail to frame her face with messy abandon.
This is the view I need to be happy, she’d said.
The irony was exquisite. Because that was what he whispered to himself every time he saw her too.
And there wasn’t a damn thing he could ever do about it.

He drew her finger from his mouth, and they simply stood motionless, her small hand in his larger one, their eyes fixed and wide. Then, with a sound that was half grunt, half plea, he hauled her against his ragingly erect body and kissed her.
Kissed her the way he’d kissed her so many times in his dreams.
Only this time it was real. And so much better.

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Marriage In Jeopardy by Miranda Lee

Format: E-bookmarriageinjeopardy.jpg
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Presents, #1728
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Blake Preston
Heroine: Juliana Preston
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: February 1, 1995
Started On: September 14, 2011
Finished On: September 15, 2011

Miranda Lee is one of the few select authors from Harlequin whose stories that I read and enjoy. I remember reading my first Miranda Lee almost 12 years back and feeling scandalized because Miranda is one author who definitely knows how to deliver sensuality of the sizzling variety in her novels. Though it has been ages since I read a Miranda Lee, I still identified her voice and the way she generates heat between her two characters that makes for an invigorating read if a short and quick romance is what the doctor ordered for the day. For me, tackling with my migraines, short and quick was exactly what the doctor ordered and though this is not the greatest romance out there, after my forced fast from books, I loved bits of the stories though  there were some aspects of it that I didn’t fully agree with.

Juliana and Blake Preston married in the true sense of their marriage being a business arrangement with separate bedrooms and scheduled sexual encounters between them. Blake is the owner of the prestigious Preston’s Toys and Games and is as self-sufficient, self-reliant and self-contained as Juliana who is independent in nature. Blake’s aversion to love and public affection comes from the roller-coaster relationship that was between his father and mother. Juliana’s independent nature comes from witnessing the number of men that had entered and exited her mother’s life. Submerging her true sensual nature and putting up a facade of efficiency and controlled calmness is how Juliana lives her life and that has suited her fine till she finds herself bothered more and more of the distance that Blake ensures that always stays between them.

Juliana’s calm and controlled facade comes crashing down when she receives the news that Blake’s life might have been in danger. The realization that she has fallen in love and may have loved her husband for a long, long time hits her hard and suddenly Juliana finds herself in previously unchartered waters and knows that she is in danger of completely turning into the wild and wanton wife that she has never dreamed she might ever become. Suddenly the bedroom aspect of their marriage looks more daunting when Juliana knows that she is in danger of betraying her new-found feelings to her husband who looks at anything remotely to do with love with loathing.

And thus begins the most difficult time period of their otherwise smooth marriage when Juliana’s emotions comes to the forefront and makes her do a 180 degree turnabout on her marriage and Blake. The story told from Juliana’s point of view and only lets the reader catch glimpses of Blake’s reaction towards the changes that takes place in their marriage and sex life lets the reader draw his or her own conclusions on how Blake feels about Juliana. Though the reader knows that Blake’s feelings towards Juliana is a bit more than just the business arrangement they both embarked on warrants, there were times when Blake’s unfounded jealousy and possessiveness came into play that made me wonder whether Blake knows his wife at all.

Plenty of angst and though not explicit in nature the sensuality is of the toe curling variety that delivers an entertaining read. Recommended for fans of Miranda Lee and old-school Harlequin romances.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Short & Sweet Review: Forbidden Fruit by Rosalie Stanton

Format: E-bookforbiddenfruit.JPG
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Publisher: Noble Romance Publishing
Series: Standalone
Sensuality: 4.5
Hero: Reece
Heroine: Ashlynn Sweeney
Date of Publication: September 12, 2011
Started On: September 12, 2011
Finished On: September 12, 2011

Storyline: Ashlynn and Reece are step-siblings. Ashlynn has lusted after and has been in love with Reece ever since she had laid eyes on him. The only thing that Ashlynn is unaware of is that Reece also just might feel the same way about her.

First Meet: Ashlynn lays eyes on Reece for the first time when her mother marries Reece’s dad when Ashlynn had been 9 years old.

Time Period: Present day.

Awareness between Ashlynn and Reece: This very short story is told from Ashlynn’s point of view and her awareness of Reece which is a fact of her life starting from 10 years back hits an all time high during the story when Reece comes home for a semester break.

The turning point: When Ashlynn walks in on Reece pleasuring himself whilst watching porn and Reece realizes this fact, there is no turning back from the gauntlet that Reece throws her way; which might just change her life forever!

How the relationship grows: There is not much relationship growth in the novel though the interlude between Reece and Ashlynn certainly ends on a happy note and allows the reader to conclude that the love they have for one another would be a long lasting one.

Likes: Whether it be a short or a full length novel, Rosalie always manages to hold my undivided attention with her books and this one is no exception to the rule. I loved both Reece and Ashlynn though I didn’t get as much of them as I would have liked.

Dislikes: Knowing that Rosalie can do amazing things with full length novels, I just wish that she would write a full length contemporary romance one of these days. And this could have been really, really good if it had been the one. There was one little thing that irked me throughout Reece and Ashlynn’s sexual interlude; that Ashlynn kept thinking she was doing the dirty with her stepbrother. For me, that was a little bit of a turnoff because I wouldn’t want the heroine to be thinking about practicalities when she is immersed so deep in the web of sexual desire and wanting for the man she loves more than anything.

Recommended for: Those who love books by Rosalie Stanton. This is a short and smutty read to squeeze in in between your heavy reads.

Purchase Links: Noble Romance

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Deadly Descent by Kaylea Cross

Format: E-bookdeadlydescent.JPG
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Military Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Series: Bagram Special Ops, Book 1
Sensuality: 3
Hero: Cam Munro
Heroine: Devon Crawford
Date of Publication: September 5, 2011
Started On: September 10, 2011
Finished On: September 12, 2011

Having always come across rave reviews of books by Kaylea Cross, I was more than prepared to delve into a story which I knew would hit all the right spots. And I am glad to report back that it certainly did hit all the right spots and then some with my very first Kaylea Cross which turned out to be the first book in her Bagram Special Ops series which hit the stands on the 5th of this month.

Captain and pilot commander Devon Crawford known as Spike amongst her friends and team mates faces the biggest dilemma of her life when she finds herself yearning for her boyfriend Ty’s bestfriend Cam Munro. From the first moment she had laid eyes on Cam, she had felt unsettled and the guilt of it all makes her pretty uneasy around his company though Cam had become one of her closest and trusted friends over time.

Technical Sergeant Cam Munro is a pararescueman in the U.S. Airforce. When his best friend Ty gets killed in active duty in the mountains of Afghanistan, it is Devon who takes his death the hardest not because she grieves for the man she loved but rather because she feels the guilt that is associated with her feelings towards Cam.

Though Cam respects Devon’s need to distance herself from him, Cam is playing for keeps and is not willing to go down without a fight to win the love of the woman who means everything to him. But with the strict military rules that prevent members of its forces from fraternizing coupled together with Devon’s need to work through her muddled feelings at her own pace, Cam who is patience personified finds himself tested severely as slow torturous inch by inch Devon starts to respond to the depth of need that Cam doesn’t want to hide any longer.

With heady adventure and military jargon that I found myself lost in sometimes, Deadly Descent is a novel that is as realistic as they come in depicting the different sides involved in the war on terror that jumpstarted with the 9/11 attacks on the US soil.

Kaylea Cross’s voice and prose is certainly an addictive one, easy to lose onself in though I sometimes wished for a glossary of certain terms used in the story. For someone who hails from a small country where the need for a super active military is at a minimum, I found myself a bit lost at times. But then again, the adventure aspect of the novel is fast paced which makes it hard not to bite your nails in apprehension wondering what would happen next and how and why a certain mad man is hell bent on getting his revenge and vengeance by killing Cam and and Devon amidst the the warlord’s agenda which is a bone chilling one.

Kaylea Cross has certainly done her homework on the aspects of the Islamic religion that is discussed in the novel and that earns a lot of respect from myself as a muslim. The fact that Kaylea explores the impact of a war that seems to make lesser sense as the casualities on both sides seems to grow sat well with me as I delved deeper into the story.

The way Kaylea puts forth her characters is one reason that makes Deadly Descent so readable. Even the villains are muti-faceted, not just a character created for namesake but rather a character that makes ones hairs stand at end because yes, the vicious and practical plan that he has in order to bring the US forces to its knees is a deceptively simple and a chilling one at the same time.

That brings me to Cam’s character who is so darn yummylicious in his own right. Laid back yes he is, but once he sets his eyes on Devon and vows to make her his, there is no stopping him from staking his claim and wooing her all at the same time. My disappointment because there wasn’t much romance towards the latter part of the book was totally forgotten from the moment Cam and Devon lights up the sheets and practically left me breathless throughout the encounter. Kaylea definitely knows what she is doing with her ultra yummy alpha heroes and the military plus the adventure aspects of the novel which makes it a winner all around!

Momentous Scenes

  • The first time Cam confronts Devon about their feelings towards each other. Such an emotion invoking scene!
  • The helicopter crash scene. Utterly horrifying because it was so darn realistic!
  • The sexual tension between Cam and Devon throughout the novel. Definitely the toe curling variety right there.

Favorite Quotes

He’d never felt this protective of a woman before. Only she brought that out in him. That powerful, odd mixture of independence and vulnerability completely melted him.
The fact that she flew a Black Hawk and could talk shop with the best of them? Hot as hell. And her laugh. God, she had the dirtiest laugh he’d ever heard. Every time he heard it he thought of sex. Hot, sweaty sex, the kind that left a man exhausted and weak and his partner unable to move.

Tightening his arms, he dropped his head and pressed his face against the side of her neck to inhale her delicate scent. The instant he did, a sharp gasp tore out of her, her slender body rippling with a shiver as the sexual energy arced between them. Cam couldn’t help but groan and gather her closer, nuzzling the velvety skin beneath her ear.
She lifted her face, and took him off guard by kissing him full on the lips. Hard and fast, the gesture so full of hunger it made him ache.

Gathering her courage, she swallowed past the lump in her throat and held his gaze. It wasn’t how she’d envisioned telling him, but she couldn’t let him go without saying the words. “I’m falling in love with you.”
The smile died, his amused expression dissolving into shock. “What?”
“Yeah. So you have to come back so I can finish the job.”
A jumble of emotions swirled in the blue depths of his eyes as he stared at her. Then he broke into a wide smile and brought a hand up to cradle her cheek. “I’m coming back, sweetheart. I wouldn’t miss that chance for the world.”

Holding her steady as he kissed her, Cam caressed back and forth over her nipple, swallowing her cries while he rubbed the length of his cock between her open thighs. He could come right now, just from doing this. Just from the incredible heat and feel of her, and knowing she wanted him so much. She was so goddamn soft and responsive. He’d always known it would be like this with her. Hot and explosive and so damn good it ripped away the civilized part of him to expose the raw, dominant hunger inside.

She (Candace) straightened her spine and shot him (Ryan) a warning glare. “You know what? You just reminded me why I don’t like you.”
He grinned like he got a giant kick out of needling her. Or maybe it was her response that he found funny. “Well I like you.”
“That’s because I’m not rude and obnoxious.”
“Well there is that. But I think it’s mostly to do with the fact that I’m standing here breathing because of you.”
“Ah. So gratitude makes you rude? I’ll have to remember that if I’m in the area next time you get in a tight spot.”

(Devon) “Cam, what’s wrong?”
He cursed and held her tighter. “Help me,” he rasped.
Her senses dizzy from the scent and feel of him, it took a few moments for the words to register. She stroked her fingers through his thick, soft hair. “Help you?”
His head moved against her hand, as much a show of helpless pleasure as it was a nod. “Help me slow down.”
She shook her head. “I don’t want you to slow down—”
“I want to be gentle,” he said roughly, his warm breath tickling her neck. “But I’m so fucking turned on right now all I can think about is pounding into you.”

(Devon) “Cam—you’re killing me,” she quavered, pressing her head back into the pillow and praying for patience. Her heart was pounding.
“I’m loving you,” he corrected in a hot whisper, then took her nipple deep into his mouth as his palm brushed over the damp lace covering her core.

The muscles in his arms and back trembled as he pushed in as deep as he could go, until all of him was buried inside her. His head sagged and a deep, primitive snarl ripped free. Sparks of light exploded behind her tightly closed lids. His hands burrowed into her hair, holding her head still while he kissed her hard and deep and wild. Then he began to move. Hard, steady strokes that ignited every nerve ending in her body.

by mvbookreviewer

Dear Author Review: Guilty Needs by Shiloh Walker

Format: E-bookGuilty Needs
Read with: IBOOKS for IPAD
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Series: Standalone
Sensuality: 4.5
Hero: Colby Hutchins
Heroine: Bridgette Lancaster (Bree)
Date of Publication: September 19, 2008
Started On: September 9, 2011
Finished On: September 9, 2011

Guilty Needs by Shiloh Walker is one of my all time favorite books since its release on September of 2008. I wanted to show my appreciation for a story that I love to bits and rather than just do a re-read review of it, I thought to myself I would start up a new type of review for those extra special books that I just love no matter how many times I end up re-reading them.

So ladies and gentlemen, I now present you with my very first “Dear Author” review which features a letter to Shiloh Walker written down in order to at least try and show my gratitude and appreciation towards this story that would continue to hold a very special place in my heart for now and always.

Dear Shiloh Walker,

As you can see, I am writing this letter/review to you because I just can’t help but fall a little bit more in love with your story Guilty Needs every single time I read it. I have now seriously lost count of the number of times I have picked this up from collection of Favorites books on my hard disk drive. If this were a paperback version I guess my copy would have become dog eared and worn out a long time back.

The thing that ALWAYS gets to me when it comes to Guilty Needs is the tons of emotion that practically seeps through every single word in the book, its hold on me a never ending one until I reach its very end. Even afterwards, I find myself unable to let go and spend a long time contemplating on what went on in a story that describes so well how guilt wars with desire when the widowed hero finds himself lusting after his dead wife’s best friend.

Alyssa Hutchins the wife who dies from cancer, who makes appearances into the story as a ghostly being that wants Colby to find love and be happy again, and that also with her best friend Bree who has always loved Colby from the sidelines, all 3 of the characters just makes this story come alive right from the very beginning that makes this book  that much easier to fall in love with over and over again.

The way you bring forth the friendship between Alyssa and Bree and made their bond an unbreakable one and yet managed to let the reader know of Bree’s feelings towards Alyssa’s husband and not sully the age old friendship between two friends continues to astound & amaze me.

One of the things that caught my attention when I first found your books from Amazon.com is the way you bring out the sexual tension between characters that just leaves a reader begging for more. And Guilty Needs is one of the best in delivering sexual tension of the sizzling variety that practically leaps out of the pages and grabs the reader right from the very start. The sensual scenes are so very well done that I could not help but reach out for my non-existent glass of cold water that I should remember the next time to keep by my side.

Sometimes, because you love a story so much, its hard to come up with the bits that stand out, but I still wanted to let you know that the moment that Alyssa asks from Bree the favor that she wants from her, it was a seriously throat-in-the-lump moment from the emotions overload. And the first kiss that Colby and Bree share – it is out of this world hot and the heat these two generate throughout the story can definitely light up my world for eons to come! And oh baby, the porch scene – if anyone has it on their mind to give me a present anytime soon, I’m just saying I wouldn’t mind a Colby or two as my pressies!

Guilty Needs will ALWAYS remain in a special corner of my heart and I believe I would never get tired of the story of how Bree finally gets the man she has loved for more than 15 years of her life, and of course Colby who just personifies sexy and takes it up to a whole new level!

Before I end this, I am just going to share some of those quotes from the story  that even later on would urge me to go seek out this little indulgence from my massive mountain of books.

Favorite Quotes

Patiently, Alyssa repeated the question she’d asked only seconds earlier. “Do you love Colby?”
Some trite lie formed on the tip of her tongue. Of course I love him—he’s your husband and that makes him almost a brother to me. But she couldn’t. It was just too wrong—lying to her dying friend, claiming to feel a fraternal emotion toward a man who inspired anything but fraternal thoughts. In the end, all she could do was just sit there and blink away tears.

Then she rose on her toes and kissed his cheek. If she breathed in the scent of his skin a little deeper than she should, it wasn’t intentional. If she shivered a little and wished she had the right to kiss him differently, it wasn’t because she could help it. She loved him—she always had.

They barely touched, his mouth on hers, his hands cupping her face while hers clutched at his wrists. But that contact was enough to shatter the foundation of her world.
He eased up, lifted his head just a little. An involuntary whimper escaped her and she swayed toward him. He growled low in his throat and reached for her, hauling her against him until they were plastered together.

 

Once again Ms. Walker, splendid is the name of the game when it comes to Guilty Needs & hats off for pulling this one off so brilliantly!

Sincerely Yours,
MBR

Purchase Links: Amazon | Jasmine Jade Enterprises

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Lessons for Teacher by Emma Jay

Format: E-booklessonsforteacher
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Sensuality: 4
Hero: Brady Lane
Heroine: Jamie Winston
Date of Publication: June 21, 2010
Started On: September 4, 2011
Finished On: September 4, 2011

Lessons for Teacher by Emma Jay is a very well done erotic contemporary romance of the make-you-squirm-in-your-chair variety. As it happened with the two other books by Emma Jay that I have read to-date, it was the cover and of course the blurb later on that made me add it to my wishlist. And after reading Wild Wild Widow a couple of hours back, my next-read-selecting-gene kept pointing its finger towards this little goodie, and here I am 4 hours later, writing a review for a fabulously entertaining piece of work.

25 year old Jamie Winston works as a teaching assistant in a journalism class whilst making her way towards earning her degree. Having being married once to a man who had found her lacking in bed and out of it and had left not a minute sooner after he had run out on her usefulness in furthering his career, Jamie is wary of the whole commitment business with the opposite sex. When her surprising attraction towards her student Brady Lane keeps on burgeoning rather than diminishing, Jamie decides to take matters into her own hands so to speak and find out whether Brady would be interested in getting down and dirty with her.

Jamie’s character is a blend of innocence combined with a thirst to quench her body’s obvious desire for the handsome and larger than life Brady who makes her dare enough to take a step out of her comfort zone. It is her inner vulnerability coupled with her playful nature that comes out to play with Brady that makes her a compelling heroine.

27 year old Brady is determined that he fulfill his dream of becoming a journalist, a war-zone correspondent at that and is biding his time until his internship comes through. What begins as a diversion and of course a way to slake his lust for his teacher morphs into something much deeper and complex as the forbidden variety encounters between Jamie and Brady spin out of control and leaves them both begging for much more afterwards.

Brady is a guy who certainly lives up to his image of being big and brawny with the good looks to match his physique. He might catch the roving female eyes on campus but Brady’s eyes are locked only on Jamie as he spins one fantasy after the other of him taking their relationship to a whole new level, pleasure being the one constant in all of them. It is his intensity in the bedroom and out of it that just made me want to sigh at each and every encounter, and of course his possessiveness when it comes to Jamie that just made me one happy reader all around.

I always love it when an author’s voice changes with the genre, giving what the reader wants with the switch that comes. And in this instance, I loved seeing a playful side to Emma’s writing that just made this story that much more fun to read!

Binding together the dynamics of a student-teacher relationship, erotic love scenes of the heart thumping variety and a romance that gives you a warm glow all over, Lessons for Teacher is a novel that comes highly recommended from the sunny side of life.

Momentous Scenes

  • The truth or dare game that takes place between Jamie and Brady. Sign me up for the next one please!
  • Each of the sensual scenes in the story. Very well done and leaves the reader begging for more! And in need of a cold shower or two at that. 

Favorite Quotes

“You want a drink?” he (Brady) offered.
“My friend’s getting one.” She gestured toward Susan, who approached.
“Your date?”
“My-no! No, I’m not—” God, did he think she was a lesbian? Boy, talk about seduction fail.

She sipped from her bottle. “Okay. Truth or dare.”
“Dare.”
Okay, she hadn’t expected that. She’d been prepared to ask some lame question that she probably already knew the answer to. Now she had to think of a dare.
The driving pulse of music gave her an idea.
“Dance with me,” she blurted.
He lifted his eyebrows. “That’s your dare?”
“Not challenging enough?”
He shook his head. “Not nearly.”
“You haven’t seen me dance.”

And he was big, so big. Even in her wedge heels, her nose only reached the middle of his chest as he edged closer. His shoulders blocked the light as his breath washed warm over her skin. Her pulse leapt like a rabbit at her throat as he lowered his mouth to brush over her parted lips, once, twice, before settling over them. Oh, God. His lips were firm, and molded to hers, learning the shape of her mouth. His tongue teased the entrance of her mouth, then he delved deeper.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Wild Wild Widow by Emma Jay

Format: E-bookwildwildwidow
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self Published
Hero: Judah Merrill
Heroine: Rebecca Chatham
Date of Publication: September 1, 2011
Started On: September 3, 2011
Finished On: September 4, 2011

Wild Wild Widow is my second book by Emma Jay and a thoroughly invigorating one at that. Emma Jay has a talent for creating beautiful characters and making their flaws work in a story that makes their inevitable happily ever after that much sweeter in the end.

Wild Wild Widow caught my eye when Emma Jay’s page on Facebook announced this book’s release on Amazon. From the cover that first reeled me in to the blurb that signalled an unusual historical romance in the making, I had no qualms about loading up my IPad with this novella and indulging! And indulge I did because from page 1, the heat factor is on together with a hero and heroine who inevitably managed to surprise me as I delved deeper into the story.

This novella starts at an unusual point. 8 months widowed Lady Rebecca Chatham is about to invite the advances of a man who is willing to take her under his wing as his mistress. Rebecca’s marraige to her deceased husband Nathan Chatham had been one of grand passion and adventure, the precarious positions in which these two were found during different points of their marriage the highlight of San Francisco’s gossip mongrels.

As a result, Rebecca finds herself banished to the homestead of his brother Gabriel and his wife Beatrice as punishment. Rebecca is determined that her father would have to forgive her enough to take her back before long because she is not an outback kind of girl who would thrive in the blazing heat of Central California.

But when Rebecca encounters Judah Merrill, her brother’s foreman whose twinkling brown eyes and lazy charm instantly draws her to him, in Judah Rebecca finds a reason to stay and a reason to make a better person out of herself. And for the first time in her life, Rebecca finds that she is drawn to a man whose integrity and honesty shines through him, a man who could cherish her for who she is rather than making a spectacle out of their shared passion for each other.

Judah is not convinced that he would be able to provide Rebecca with the sort of adventurous life that her husband had provided her with, though the sultry kisses and forbidden caresses that are shared between them gets past the defences around his heart and catches him unawares before their affair runs its course.

Rebecca is the one whose surprised when she starts to yearn for far more than just her cowboy’s blazing caresses that makes her world spin out of control. But before long, both Rebecca and Judah’s passion for one another throws Rebecca’s past in her face until Judah takes the chance of his life to convince the woman who is suited for him in every way to share their lives together until death does them apart.

Though a short story, Wild Wild Widow is an intense one both in the physical and emotional sense. The wild lovemaking that Rebecca and Judah share is out of this world hot and tender at the same time that just calls to something deep inside of the reader. Rebecca’s character is one that is hard to define as she is someone who defies all the rules of the conventional society and lives to be her own person. Restless is how I would define her, making her yearn for things that lands her in trouble. And in Judah’s arms does the restlessnless find its cure and a love so beautiful that I found myself smiling all through their adventures.

Judah is a man who comes across as laid back and gentle mannered. But beneath that exterior lies a man who is capable of making your toes curl inward and your breath hitch as he turns up the blazing heat factor on. And the way he treasures each kiss and caress and turns even the most torrid encounters into something worth being savored is the best part about him.

Emma Jay has definitely spun a winner with this one. A tale that is different from most of the historical romances that line your e-book shelves and a romance and love that shines through at the turn of each page. Wonderful way to pass your time if you have an hour to spare!

Highly recommended!

Momentous Scenes

  • When Rebecca is found in a precarious position with a man – equal parts horror and hilarity
  • Seduction scene at the stream – Yowza!
  • The moment Judah takes Rebecca against the horse in the pouring rain – Pass me the ice please!

Favorite Quotes

He made a sound deep in his throat, pulled her closer and covered her mouth with his, a claiming kiss that made her skin tingle. His stubble rasped her skin. He tasted nice, minty, unexpected, as he tilted his head and slipped his tongue between her lips. She curled her fingers in the thick hair at the back of his neck, holding him to her as his tongue explored, as she lifted hers to meet his and return the intimate caress.

When they reached the creek where they’d gone two nights before, far enough from the house so that she could scream to the heavens as she came, he slid out of the saddle and pulled her into his arms, body to body, holding her tightly against him as he kissed her, open-mouthed and hungry. She wound her arms around him, pushed her leg between his, her tongue into his mouth and he was dizzy with wanting her. 

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

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