by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Lean On Me by Tori Scott

Format: E-bookleanonme
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: Standalone
Hero: Hunter Thurman
Heroine: Sandy Morrow
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 24, 2011
Started On:  August 16, 2011
Finished On: August 17, 2011

Lean on Me by Tori Scott explores a much more tender side of romance from an author who managed to grab my interest after reading her hot little novella Satisfaction Guaranteed. Released on the 24th of July, Lean on Me is a novel that delves into family life, the healing power of love and brings home the fact how communication is a vital aspect of any relationship.

Sandy Morrow is a single mother living alone with her four year old daughter Melanie who is a constant whirlwind of non stop activity. A childcare director by profession, Sandy had lost her husband in a car accident during a freak ice storm two years back and more than anything Sandy mourns for not what she has lost but what her marriage had never been able to give. Independent to a fault, Sandy doesn’t want anything in the world to take that away from her, and shies away from relationships and the opposite sex until the Thurmans move in next door making her sit up and take notice for the first time in two long years. 

Hunter Thurman is a military man who had served his country for a long time as a Special Ops soldier that had taken him away from home for long periods of time. His marriage to Liz hadn’t turned out to be what he had envisioned and finally Hunter returns home for good when Liz dies leaving behind an angry and surly teenage Jason behind. Hunter focuses all his time and attention on finding out why his son resents him so much, an uphill battle all the way when the only form of communication between them seems to be screaming matches.

Everything comes to head when Jason’s car hits Melanie’s tricycle giving Jason the wake up call he sorely needs to get his act together. The accident brings together these two families and the constant intimacy brings to light the fact that the attraction that simmers between Hunter and Sandy is one that cannot be ignored. Its not an easy journey for these two towards happily ever after as both Sandy and Hunter bring to the relationship scars from their previous marriages together with the welfare of both their children to the equation. However with a lot of love, understanding, compassion and a whole lot of conversation with a few sensual scenes tossed in between, Tori Scott managed to deliver a happily ever after that I wholeheartedly approved of in the end.

I found Hunter Thurman and his gentle manner beneath which lies a man who can make a woman tremble in all the right ways to be one of the things that drew me into the story. His previous marriage had turned out to be a stifling one that makes him wary of a repeat experience. But when he finds himself enamored with Sandy and her daughter, the way he brings alive good old fashioned courting together with the stolen kisses made my toes curl inward, and made me sigh in pleasure as his wooing works its magic over a woman who has had her fair share of disappointments when it comes to men.

I loved Jason’s character and how he grew in the story. At the beginning he is a surly, rude and obnoxious teenager with a belligerent attitude beneath which lies a wealth of pain and resentment towards his father for never being there when things had gotten quite bad at home. But with time and the healing touch and understanding from Sandy and a lot of patience on Hunter’s part, Jason turns out to be a wonderful and unforgettable character that I fell for as the story progressed. 

One cannot read this story without falling in love with the cute little Melanie. Her conversations with Jason made me smile at just how simple everything in life seems to be when you are that young, trying to make sense of all the chaos that reins in this world. Endearing is the term I would use to describe Melanie and she is a character that I wouldn’t be forgetting any time soon.

The way that both Sandy and Hunter eventually find love and acceptance in each other was a journey that I very much enjoyed though there were moments that Sandy tended to rub me raw with her constant need to assert her independent nature which she is reluctant to let go of, understandable given her past. But in the end I loved how everything turned out and how Tori Scott managed to squeeze in a cute little epilogue giving me the closure I needed to let this one go. But mind you, I wouldn’t complain if she were to write stories for Sandy’s brother Ryan and Sandy’s best friend Brandy who has a painful past of her own and who knows, maybe even Jason and Melanie? Ah! A girl can always hope! 

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Tuesday’s Child by Dale Mayer + Giveaway!

Format: E-booktuesdayschild
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Valley Publishing
Series: Psychic Visions, Book 1
Hero: Brandt Sutherland
Heroine: Samantha Blair
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: June 16, 2011
Started On: August 14, 2011
Finished On: August 15, 2011

Tuesday’s Child by Dale Mayer is the first book in the Psychic Visions series. 28 year old Samantha Blair (Sam) is a psychic who has a hard time accepting her ‘gift’ as it has brought nothing but pain, humiliation and loneliness into her bleak existence. Growing up in different foster homes that she had found no solace from, Sam now lives alone, practically in isolation where she feels at ease. Working part time at a vet brings her the peace that is her lifeline when her visions practically force her to experience every excruciating detail of what the victims of extreme violence go through until their death comes calling.

35 year old Detective Brandt Sutherland is tracking down a vicious serial killer who hunts and kills beautiful women in committed relationships. Having tracked him to Portland from where he hasn’t surfaced for the past year, Brandt is determined that he would find and stop the killer once and for all, a killer who has managed to fool law enforcement authorities by constantly changing his MO in each kill.

Brandt’s lucky break in his quest comes when his world collides with that of Sam whose visions have practically rendered her into a thin, haunted looking waif who turns up at the police headquarters, determined that she would do her best to inform the authorities of what she knows, even though skepticism may be all that she would receive. However in Brandt Sam finds for the first time someone willing to believe what she has to say and makes her feel safe at the same time.

Being someone who has enlisted the help of psychics in previous investigations, Brandt gives Sam the benefit of the doubt and even then he is not prepared to witness firsthand just how devastating an effect Sam’s abilities have on her. As they spend more and more time together, so grows the protective instincts that flared to life right from the very moment Brandt saw the haunted look in Sam’s eyes and brings forth so many complex emotions right along with it.

But things are far from conducive to the makings of a normal relationship as Sam is brought into the focus of a killer who is cunning and wily enough to do everything in his power to wipe out the only one who has even the remotest ability of stopping him on his mission to wreak destruction.

Tuesday’s child is a novel that has so many interesting facets to it that I couldn’t help but be drawn towards the web of suspense and romance that Dale Mayer so intrisically weaves together. One of the things that held my utmost interest was the unique psychic ability explored in the story. It was horrifying and at the same time fascinating to read about an ability that has such a ravaging effect on Sam and her life. If it were me, I would most definitely have been committed to an asylum with the appearance of my first vision so to speak.

As I read along, I found myself to be in total awe at the strength and courage that emanates from Sam, and her ability to still face the next day regardless of the torture her mind and body undergoes as a result of her psychic visions. She has been alone and lost for so long that she finds it hard to believe that anyone could accept her the way she is. I loved her for all that and so much more as the story progressed and of course the way she opens up to Brandt like a shy flower blooming and basking in the warmth of the sun was something to be savored.

I loved the hero Brandt because he has the capacity to think and accept beyond the norm and has the guts to stay true to himself and what he believes in all throughout. A mama’s boy inside out, Brandt has a charm that slowly creeps in and catches you by surprise, I guess a feeling Sam herself goes through as she succumbs to the warmth, love and security that she finds in Brandt’s arms. A sexy, charming and warm hearted hero who caressed all those tender emotions deep inside of me, I would love me some Brandt any day!

And last but not the least, the way Dale Mayer handles the romantic aspect of the relationship that fosters and grows between Sam and Brandt certainly deserves a mention. I loved the fact that that rather than making it a lust at first sight relationship that explodes in the reader’s face, Brandt and Sam’s feelings are explored at a more believable pace right in line with the reclusive existence Sam has led until now. Though the scenes of passion between Brandt and Sam weren’t overly detailed and explicit, it still managed to tug at my heartstrings in a way I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

The sneak peek at the end of the novel into the next book in the series has certainly piqued my interest and I would definitely be looking for its release which will hopefully be sometime soon. Recommended for fans of romantic suspense with a dash of paranormal to make things more interesting.

Final Verdict: Tuesday’s Child by Dale Mayer is a finely woven romantic suspense with paranormal elements in the mix that makes for a keeps-you-up-the-whole-night kind of read.

Favorite Quotes

He willingly offered her every part of himself for her pleasure. Sam took full advantage. Pushing up on his shoulders, he rolled over onto his back, swinging her on top of him. Sam laughed joyously and accepted the invitation. Using her fingers, her lips and her tongue, she traced, teased, and tormented Brandt until he could stand it no more.
Without warning, Sam found herself flipped over, tucked under him, her legs hooked over his hips. Brandt waited until Sam gazed into his eyes. Then dropping his forehead to hers, he plunged deep.

Closing her eyes, she let her body answer for her. Her lips parted slightly. Her tongue slipped out to caress his thumb. Sliding first to one side then to the other. Brandt bent his head, his eyes absorbed with her every tiny movement.
From under heavy lids, Sam watched his eyes deepen, darken. Sliding her tongue further out, she slowly seductively curled it around the top of his thumb. Instinctively, she’d invited him inside. He couldn’t resist. His thumb stroked the inside of her lips, gently caressing her teeth and the inside of her lips. Sam gently clamped her teeth down on his thumb and tugged it inside. She sucked it very lightly, her eyes wider, watching him watch her.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

Author Dale Mayer has very generously offered to give away 3 e-copies of Tuesday’s Child. In order to qualify for the giveaway, leave a comment behind with your name, a valid e-mail address and just drop in a line telling me why you want to win a copy. Easy peasy right? Don’t forget to leave a comment behind and help spread the word. Giveaway ends on the 19th of August 2011, 00:00 hours Maldivian time.

by mvbookreviewer

Guest Post – Author Dee Tenorio + Giveaway!

deetenorio.JPGToday, is a first for me and my blog. I am opening up my doors for the first time for guest posts and who better to do that than with the uber talented Dee Tenorio whose latest book in the super fabulous Resurrection Series hit the stands just yesterday. Dee is sharing with us today how she settled into writing the way she likes it, a writing style that continues to amaze me as her latest release Deceiving The Protector contains what I would call the essence of Dee’s way with the words in one setting.

So please welcome Dee and also check out how you can win an e-copy of Deceiving the Protector, a book so fabulous that fans of paranormal romantic suspense NEED to check this one out!

Genre-ations!

When I first started out, a very kindly editor gave me some advice I’ve never forgotten, not in ten years.

“You need to find a tone that fits you and stick to it.”

She said this to be helpful, of course, as she had read several submissions from me and apart frm the fact that I had much to learn, she also couldn’t in any conscience buy my books because she had no idea what to do with me.

My stories all seemed to come from different directions. Did I write hometown comedies? Or did I write gripping suspense (Or even just slightly compelling suspense—I was just starting out, after all)? She liked my voice quite a bit and she liked my sense of humor, she simply couldn’t see how all of it could come together inot a marketable author unless I stopped dancing through genres. Worse, I had to stop genre-dancing inside of singular books.

“You can’t have a suspense book with this kind of dark tone and have all this humor.”

Because I have a bad habit of creating sarcastic, smart ass people and putting them in bad situations. (What, those people are more fun.)

“Conversely, you can’t have a comedy with all these dark situations.”

Because apparently other people aren’t as prone to laughing while at funerals as I am.

Honestly, when I heard all that advice, I did my best to try to listen, but it seemed so…unrealistic to me. I’d been brought up not as an optimist, but as a make-the-best-of-it-ist. In my crazy clan, we laugh through our tears, we snicker through trouble and we store up stories of stupidity like badges of honor. As my Mom once put so well, “You have to find something to laugh at when times are hard, or you’ll never make it through. And you won’t appreciate the good times when you have them.”

So it’s not that I just wanted to be difficult with my writing, or that I’m terribly stubborn. (Well, ok, I’m a “little” bit stubborn) I wanted to give that editor what she was looking for, but I could never quite do it. In my mind—and as a result, in my books—life just rarely falls into neat little slices where only one tone exists. It does make me a little harder to market, she was right about that. But that’s okay. I’m good being “that writer you like who writes all those stories”.

In fact, I can’t think of a better way to be known! :)

So that’s about it from Dee folks!

If you want to find out more about Dee, you can always check out any of the following links:

Dee’s Website
Dee’s Blog
Dee on Twitter
Dee on Facebook
Dee on MySpace
Dee on YouTube

To find out more about both books in the Resurrection series, you can always check out the trailers which can be found from here & here.

 GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

So guys, in order to celebrate my first guest post, I am giving away an e-copy of Deceiving the Protector, the 2nd book in the Resurrection Series that just came out yesterday. For a chance to win, leave a comment behind stating your name, a valid e-mail address and why you want to win a copy of Deceiving the Protector. If you want to know more about both books 1 and 2, you can always read my reviews which can be found from here & here. Don’t forget to leave a comment behind and help spread the joy! Giveaway will end at 00:00 hours on the 18th of August 2011, Maldivian time!
by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Heart Stealer by Tiphanie Thomas

Format: E-bookheartstealer
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: Trilogy, Book 1
Hero: Randall Rowe
Heroine: Kayla Denton
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: April 22, 2011
Started On: August 13, 2011
Finished On: August 14, 2011

Heart Stealer by Tiphanie Thomas which takes place in the small town of Summerdale for most of the story and parts of it in Los Angeles was a book that provoked conflicting emotions in me. It tells the story of how play boy and movie star Randall Rowe finally succumbs to the lure of love and happily ever after, even though the journey he takes towards the final destination is one fraught with difficulties and a lot of growing up.

Randall is the only child of the preacher in Summerdale. When Randall’s dreams and ambitions takes him away from following in his father’s footsteps, it creates a rift between father and son that seems to be incapable of ever healing. At the age of 18, Randall leaves home with Hollywood beckoning him to come and make his dreams a reality. It is when Randall makes his way back home for the first time in 6 years since he left that he meets the stick-thin and belligerent run away from home Kayla Denton.

Kayla runs away from home at the age of 16 after being forced to live with her aunt upon the death of her mother in a car accident that continues to haunt her. Her father had immersed himself in drink, oblivious to the damage it was doing to his one and only child. It is Randall who sees Kayla’s vulnerability and finds a way for her to live with his parents.

The story continues 8 years on, with an all grown up Kayla working as a fourth grade teacher in Summerdale. When once again Randall returns home, this time to mend fences that he has neglected for far too long, the most surprising turn of events seems to be the way he reacts to the luscious older version of Kayla whom Randall has always considered to be nothing but a child.

Kayla knows that nothing can come out of her feelings towards a man whose lifestyle differs so much from hers, who would never be content with settling down to small town life. But with each searing kiss and touch that brings down the walls of reserve around Kayla’s heart and emotions, Randall wins her over making Kayla yearn for so much more than Randall seems to be capable of giving. For a man who has closed off himself for such a long time, relying and depending on someone else is a foreign concept and Randall finds himself hard pressed to be everything that Kayla needs.

It is the differences that they can’t seem to work out that drives them apart until once again it is Randall who comes back, determined that this time around he would convince Kayla that he is here to stay for now and always.

I liked the whole premise and set up of Heart Stealer, quite an appropriate title considering the fact that Kayla steals Randall’s heart whilst he is totally unaware of what is happening. I loved Randall for the fact that he was willing to be the grown up about things, for loving Kayla enough to be everything she wants him to be, even try as far as to open himself up to her even when its the hardest thing for him to do. For me, Randall turned out to be the best thing about the story, his patience and perseverence when it comes to Kayla being what won me over.

Kayla is a totally different story. I found her to be a bit self absorbed and childish, never really growing up enough to tackle the issues that cropped up between herself and Randall in their short lived relationship. Kayla always seemed to be jumping to the worst of conclusions, always willing to look for a mistake that would give her the perfect excuse to give up on a relationship that brings her more happiness than anything else in her life.

Though Kayla’s character turned out to be a trifle bit disappointing, I still liked how Tiphanie relates the trials and tribulations of an actor who wants with everything in his being to make a name for himself in the world of stardom, a man who feels as if the only way to ease the loneliness and pain in his heart is by immersing himself in doing the one thing that he loves.

Recommended for fans of contemporary romances that loosely feature the modern version of guardian/ward romances that you encounter in historical romances.

Favorite Quotes

He leaned in, and his lips swept hers, capturing and rubbing them in a tantalizing tease. Lust rolled through her like wildfire. For all she knew, seconds could have passed, minutes, or an eternity. Too dazed to notice anything except the searing passion from Randall’s lips on hers, Kayla’s tongue dueled and played with Randall’s until her whole body felt like it would combust. She floated back into the sky, a slice of heaven filling her.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&nNoble | Smashwords

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: Deceiving the Protector by Dee Tenorio

Format: E-bookdeceivingtheprotector
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Carina Press
Series: Resurrection, Book 2
Hero: Jensen Tate
Heroine: Lia Crawford
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: August 15, 2011
Started On: August 1, 2011
Finished On: August 1, 2011

You know that uber satisfied feeling that you get when you have read a book that has managed to hit all those spots that crave to be petted and stroked when you immerse yourself in a good book? Well, at the moment I am like the cat who got her full bowl of cream and then some as the 2nd book in the Resurrection series managed to completely woo me and left me spellbound once again with Dee Tenorio’s ability to blow me away with her stories.

Jensen Tate, brother to Alpha and one of the generals of the pack is tasked with the job of finding a female “stray” and bringing her to safety. A job that stirs up feelings that Tate has thought long since buried when he comes into contact with the half-starved, gritty, determined and surly Lia Crawford who seems to call out to the inner wolf inside of him to come out and stake its claim on the woman whose bewitching green eyes show remanents of a hidden fear so deep that it just about tears up Tate on the insides.

Lia knows that there is no turning back for her on the path she has chosen to walk and that neither is Tate supposed to be with her if what he and his brothers have worked so hard to bring about is to remain on course without the vicious hunters on her trail getting to them through her. For the safety of her sister Laurel, Lia is willing to do anything, even put up with the constant darkness that never seems to leave her life, always one step ahead, forcing her to accept the fact that she would never ever be a free woman of her own will.

Tate knows that Lia hides more than she is willing to let on and it drives him nuts trying to protect a woman whose sheer stubbornness alone makes him want to lay her down somewhere and make her forget the dead weight that she seems to carry on her shoulders. As Tate “forces” her to go along with his plans, Lia finds herself charmed by a man beneath whose gruff exterior lies a wolf begging to be petted and stroked and a man whose rough tenderness just about breaks every wall and shield she has erected to safeguard her emotions & heart.

As their trek towards the next safe house continues, Tate comes face to face with the danger that stalks and preys on the absolute fear that it demands from Lia as he finally starts accepting the fact that Lia is his mate for life, if she can just trust him enough to protect her and save her from the evil that refuses to let go.

Deceiving the Protector is fantastic in all the ways that counts. The way Dee builds up her paranormal world, subtly bringing in the details in the midst of the character development is what drew me in. The constant whirl of my thinking cap trying to figure out what would happen next was what I loved most about this paranormal romantic suspense and the reality and horrors behind what Lia underwent at the hands of mad men willing to rid the world of shifters anyway they can just left me with a bad taste in my mouth and shivers of the bad kind running up and down my spine.

Jensen Tate is a hero that practically invaded my heart as layer by layer his character unfolds, revealing a man of immense strength and beauty, though being called beautiful might piss Tate off and make him growl a bit before settling down, but nevertheless that is how I find him to be. A man so worthy of tender touches and healing kisses, whose protective nature refuses to step back and let his mate be the protector instead, no matter how chauvinistic that might seem to be. The reason why I fell so deeply for Tate is how he manages to gently draw out the hidden woman inside of Lia who has been cowering inside, afraid to show herself and refuses to let her return back to the shell of a woman she was before. His charming manner of telling a good story of course had me sighing all over the place and of course nekkid Tate is a sight to savored on its own.

Lia is a heroine who finds the strength to go on against all odds, a woman who has been on her own for so long that she finds the concept of accepting help a foreign one. Nevertheless, her fascination with Tate that continues to grow as they spend time together is one that refuses to be denied, and the need and desire that unfurls deep within her to claim his wolf as hers is one that continues taunt and tease her until she is ready to serve herself to Tate on silver platter. It is Lia’s immense courage and strength that awed me, and the way she perfectly complements Tate and knows how to soothe & appease the inner wolf inside of him and at the same time be a mate worthy enough to stand by his side that won me over.

It is a testament to Dee’s ability that she managed to make a slight part of me feel for the villain who continued to terrorize Lia until his demise, and I couldn’t help a tiny part of myself from thinking that it is the monsters who had carved him into what he turned out to be that should be rotting in hell. I know that the as the Resurrection series continues that everyone would get what they deserve, in fact I’m counting on that to happen so that I can revel in it big  time when their asses get kicked to Hell never to return!

How Dee does it I would never know, but let me tell you I loved every single minute of it! One minute I am practically drooling and panting over the explosive passion between Tate and Lia, the next I am immersed in tender emotions so deep that I just feel like curling into a ball and sighing in contentment and the next thing I know I am laughing out loud at the witty banter between Tate and Lia that never fails to amuse! Kudos to Dee who manages it so effortlessly and made this book one entertaining fest that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon!

Highly recommended for fans of the series, fans of Dee Tenorio and fans of paranormal romantic suspense.

Final Verdict: Delivering a kick-ass paranormal world with a heady mix of suspense and romance that one cannot resist,  Deceiving the Protector is a SHOULD NOT MISS!

Favorite Quotes

Then he stepped into an orchard, on a rise of packed dirt between tree groves, and proceeded not to give a rat’s ass what she might be trying to do.
The scent was finally clear.
And it went straight to his head.
Female. Apples. Cool water. Rich earth. Rain. Sunshine.

Sometimes, she wasn’t sure when she was seeing him, except for those few moments when their eyes met and she couldn’t look away to save her own life. She could see the protector in him then, sense the hunter. Raw strength emanated from him in those moments, his intensity surrounding her, suffusing her. She could almost feel his arms around her, trying to pull her under his protection. She’d be safe with him. Not cosseted, maybe, but…she’d be able to breathe. To know the next breath was coming, sure as the sunrise.

(Tate) “Sure, she can. She also makes a staff out of light that can cut people and the cars they’re driving in half. Five-feet-five-inches of pure power. Even at her best, it’s like having a nuclear bomb for a sister-in-law.”
“Boy.” Lia laughed, and by the look on his face he knew it was at his expense. “She must love you.”
“We have a complicated relationship,” he agreed with a self-depreciating nod. “Sort of a cross between suspicion and fuck you.”

His hands gripped her hips, slowing her descent. She could feel him savoring her, quaking at the feel of her claw tips sinking into his shoulders. His eyes flickered, the gray color she loved having shifted to the glowing yellow of his Wolf. She smiled, bucking against his hold.
“This time, I take you.” She pushed down, filling herself with him. He growled, drowning out her sigh. He squeezed tight, but she refused to be held back. She lifted up, rocking forward before sliding back down, savoring his groan against the beaded tips of her breasts. “I’m claiming you, Jensen Tate.”
Because you’re mine.

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Deadly Obsession by Katie Reus

Format: E-bookdeadlyobsession
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Carina Press
Series: Standalone
Hero: Braden Donnelly
Heroine: Lilly Carmichael
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: August 15, 2011
Started On: August 11, 2011
Finished On: August 12, 2011

Deadly Obsession by Katie Reus is my first taste of her work and I think I am going to end up becoming an instant fan if what she can deliver with the rest of her stories is as good as this one turned out to be. Deadly Obsession is a romantic suspense that is a trifle bit dark with some vivid images of violence that makes this book exceptional in terms of the realistic edge the story delivers.

Deadly Obsession is set in the small town of Hudson Bay where a vicious and sadistic serial killer has been targeting victims too close to comfort to the town’s sheriff Braden Donnelly. Braden’s entire family apart from his grandmother had all been killed in a plane crash three years back the time around which he had quit the Marines and returned home, tired of seeing the face of death each and every day. Braden has a feeling that the killer is trying to send a message across to him though he has no idea who in his town would hold that much of a grudge against him.

Lilly Carmichael left her hometown ten years back and never looked back. An undercover agent for NSA, Lilly suffers from PTSD after a horrific incident in Africa that still plagues her with vivid nightmares. Lilly had left behind her Aunt Debra and her first boyfriend Braden who had been her first everything when she had left town. Though relations between her and her aunt who had brought her up since she was five years old had remained solid, Braden and Lilly had parted on bad terms and Lilly knows that Braden had been as much heartbroken as she had been when she left him behind. Guarding the secret of the actual reason why she had fled town seems to be the only way she can keep the now much more mature and lethal version of Braden whose intense stare still betrays the need he feels for her.

Braden feels suckerpunched by the intense want that courses through him as he sees Lilly for the first time in ten years. All his relationships since then had never even come close to making him feel even half as much of what he feels for Lilly though Braden would rather die than admit the fact to the woman who has continued to haunt his dreams even from afar.

It is Aunt Debra’s death that brings Lilly back home, a death that was staged by the killer who has every intention of wreaking havoc on Lilly and Braden’s emotions and lives, a fact he drives home by the sheer number of murders that he commits within such a short span of time. With the clock ticking towards an end that Braden would not have Lilly end up as the victim, both Lilly and Braden remain unaware until towards the very end just how personal and how close to home the threat against them emerges from.

Deadly Obsession turned out to be a fantastic read that held my undivided attention from page 1. There was never a dull moment nor a minute when I wished the story would continue on a different track and speed than with the one it was proceeding. Braden is such a sexy, compelling and intense hero that one cannot help but be drawn towards him even from the very first encounter. Hiding in his heart a wealth of pain because of all the loved ones he had lost, Braden is not at all ready to make himself vulnerable yet again to the only woman who still manages to make his heart beat faster by her mere presence. Its his protective nature without needless coddling and his take-charge attitude when it comes to the matters of the heart that lodged him permanently in my heart as I practically devoured this book.

Lilly was a heroine I reserved my judgement on until the very last minute, until the story brought to light exactly why she had left the way she did ten years back. Even before that, I couldn’t help but admire her courage and need to dig deeper to find out who was targeting innocent women in her hometown in the killer’s quest to make Lilly and Braden squirm in utter helplessness as the body count continues to grow.

All the side characters in the novel brought that something extra into the story that always makes a book that much more pleasing to lose oneself in and worthy of a mention is the quirky character of Hailey Banks, the county coroner. If Katie Reus were ever to continue this as a series, I would dearly love to see her story come out.

Final Verdict: Dark and edgy with the bite of red hot passion sizzling through the pages, Deadly Obsession is a romantic suspense that delivers on all counts.

Favorite Quotes

His masculine scent and strong embrace definitely hadn’t changed. He murmured soothing words against her hair and she let herself relax. When his familiar male scent washed over her with startling intensity, she cursed her traitorous body. Her nipples tightened against her bra when he stroked a soft hand down her spine. With one gentle touch her dormant libido flared to life.

When he dipped his head toward her breasts, she arched her back, giving him better access. In measured movements, he licked and laved one breast while palming the other. His calloused palm over her sensitive skin sent erotic vibrations to all her nerve endings.
This was a side to him she’d never seen. His whole body shook with need and the dark look in his eyes was startling. Not that she was afraid he’d hurt her. He just looked…hungry.

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Lies and Consequences by Tatiana March

Format: E-bookliesandconsequences
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Resplendence Publishing, LLC
Series: Standalone
Hero: Lucas Frost
Heroine: Christina Miller
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: April 3, 2011
Started On: August 10, 2011
Finished On: August 11, 2011

Lies and Consequences tells the story of how ambitious freelance journalist Christina Miller finds in the reclusive scientist that she seeks out to give a jolt to her ailing career, a man who is worth much more than she bargained for.32 year old Christina specializes in human interest stories and has always continually worked towards achieving her goals at the cost of everything else. The interview with Lucas Frost is supposed to be her shot at creating a big bang in her otherwise waning career and Christina is willing to use every arsenal within her power to get what she wants.

When Christina finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere with only a derelict looking boat in sight, she hobbles on board to take shelter for the night. The next day finds herself face to face with the owner of the said boat whose balatant masculinity arouses in Christina feelings that she has long supressed and she finds herself wistfully thinking of the what could have beens in her life.

Christina isn’t at all what Lucas envisioned her to be and Lucas finds himself strangely drawn towards the woman who reeks of ambition and the drive to succeed. Even with all the misgivings Lucas has about Christina, it doesn’t stop him from propositioning her to sleep with him in return for taking her ashore.

Loneliness and taking stock of her meaningless life has Christina saying yes to the delectable pleasure that she finds in Lucas’s arm, though she doesn’t know who he is. When the truth comes to light, it is Christina who feels betrayed and leaves only to find out that Lucas isn’t the kind to give up easily what he considers as his.

Lies and Consequences is a contemporary romance that has all the ingredients of what would make an irresistible story. Lucas is a hero who finds in the clear cut world of science the safe harbour that he yearned for when he was younger growing up with a gambling addict for a father. He is a dreamy hero in the sense that his utter focus on what he wants makes him quite a compelling figure. However, I would have loved to see more of him in his element as a scientist and how he interacts with the outside world apart from Christina; the essence that makes him the reclusive he is.

Christina was a heroine who was at first a tad hard to understand. She is someone who is entirely willing to make use of the power her body wields over the opposite sex, if it works in her favor. But when she is with Lucas, her vulnerable side shows that makes her a likeable heroine in the end.

For me, my second Tatiana March proved to be a good read, recommended for fans of Tatiana March and fans of romances featuring reclusive heroes.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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Reviewer’s Note: I received a copy of this book from the wonderful Tatiana March herself for which I would like to thank her. The fact that she provided me with a copy of this book had no effect whatsoever on the rating or review of this book.

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught

Format: E-bookakingdomofdreams
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Pocket Books
Series: Westmoreland Dynasty, Book 1
Hero: Royce Westmoreland
Heroine: Jennifer Merrick
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 1989
Started On: August 8, 2011
Finished On: August 10, 2011

Judith McNaught’s historical romances are timeless. Timeless I say because no matter how many times one re-reads her stories, it never gets old and there is always something new about the story that captures your attention and holds it until you have turned the very last page. I think this is my 3rd or 4th time re-reading A Kingdom of Dreams and yet again Royce Westmoreland didn’t fail to invoke numerous sighing sessions as I read along and made me want a fierce warrior like him who loves just as passionately when at last he finally does fall for the woman who claims his heart, body and soul.

29 year old Royce Westmoreland aka The Black Wolf is Scotland’s most hated, and most feared enemy. Military life is all Royce has ever known and Royce’s latest command received from the King Henry himself has him gearing up to face the Merrick’s clan of Scotland, the name itself making vengeance boil deep inside of him.

17 year old Jennifer Merrick is the daughter of Lord Merrick, the head of the Merrick clan. From a tender age, impulsiveness and recklessness combined with a desperate yearning to make her father love her, as he loved his stepsons, were responsible for a lot of grievances in her life. Though as the eldest daughter the leadership of her clan should rightfully pass onto her, Lord Merrick thinks naught of women and their capabilities beyond that of rearing children – a fact that hurts Jennifer more deeply than she ever lets on.

When Jennifer and Brenna are captured by the Black Wolf’s army, Jennifer’s sole focus lies in identifying ways through which she and Brenna can make her escape. Royce doesn’t expect that two women could create so much trouble in his camp and in his life when the fiesty Jennifer and her meek sister are brought along which Royce is hoping would end the battle they are all gearing for without bloodshed.

Jennifer valiantly tries and manages to escape captivity only to be caught yet again and though Jennifer knows that true to Merrick’s nature, the only thing she should feel for Royce with his unusual silver eyes is contempt and loathing at best, she is no match for the yearnings that stir into life in the arms of Royce, her enemy. Neither Jennifer nor Royce is prepared for the desire that each feels for the other and for the headiness of a passion so fierce to obliterate everything else from their minds.

Royce convinces himself that lust is the only thing that he feels for a woman who infuriates him and humbles him at the same time. And when his need to possess Jennifer makes him claim her virginity, even then Royce is more than happy to label it away as a mere case of lust for his beautiful and defiant captive.

Jennifer’s heart bleeds for the fact that in Royce’s embrace she feels no shame even though she knows that consorting with the enemy would only earn more hatred from her clansmen. When once again Jennifer escapes Royce’s clutches making him the laughingstock of both England and Scotland, Royce is livid with rage and that is the only thing that drives him to accept orders by his king to tie himself to Jennifer in holy matrimony.

Thus begins a battle of wills that dies a slow death as the passion that exists between Royce and Jennifer burns hotter than ever, cementing a connection between two souls who are so meant for each other. But love and a happily ever after is not an easy one for either of them to achieve as treachery and deceit from Jennifer’s family nearly drives them apart for good until Jennifer comes to realize that her destiny lies entwined with that of Royce and that there is no turning back from the love of a man who makes her feel treasured and safe at the same time.

A Kingdom of Dreams is a romance that provokes the reader into indulging in a dream or two of her own as Royce completely sweeps you off your feet and shows you the reason why romance heroes are worth swooning over. Royce is a fierce man, a battle hardened warrior who has seen so much death and destruction throughout his career that he longs for normalcy and a life that he can call his own. His tenderness when it comes to Jennifer and the way he feels stirrings of righteous indignation on Jennifer’s behalf upon hearing how she has been treated by her own clansmen and family made me fall that much harder in love with him. A true romantic would not be able to read this without falling for Royce, a fact that I am reassured of as I manage to fall for him over and over again every single time I read this book.

Jennifer is a heroine who is worthy of someone like Royce. Loyal, loving, kind and generous, Jennifer’s soul yearns for the day that all of whom she loves would love her back, a day that she would be accepted for who she is, impulsiveness and all. Though at times it feels as if Jennifer is being a trifle bit too hard on Royce, she makes up for it so beautifully towards the end that I fell for the sheer charm she brings into the story.

Filled with a lively and riveting bunch of side characters of which Aunt Elinor definitely deserves a mention, A Kingdom of Dreams is a must read if you are a true fan of romance.

Favorite Quotes

Royce flung her arm aside, and Jenny stayed where she stood, paralyzed with remorse and anguish as she gazed at the beautiful animal she’d inadvertently killed. As if in a dream, she watched England’s fiercest warrior kneel on one knee beside his dead horse, slowly stroking the animal’s glossy black coat, and speaking words she could not quite hear in a voice that was raw.

Her head lifted, and Royce froze in surprise and reluctant admiration for the amazing sight he beheld. Standing there like a wild enraged gypsy, her hair tumbling all about her like golden flames and her huge blue eyes alive with hatred and unshed tears, she slowly raised her hand… a hand which was holding a dagger which she’d obviously managed to snatch from his boot as he spanked her.
And in that unlikely moment, as she held his dagger poised high, ready to strike, Royce Westmoreland thought she was the most magnificent creature he’d ever beheld; a wild, beautiful, enraged angel of retribution, her chest rising and falling with fury as she courageously confronted an enemy who towered over her. He’d hurt her and humiliated her, Royce realized, but he hadn’t broken that indomitable spirit of hers.

His wry tone made Jenny burst out laughing, and Royce found himself captivated by the infectious joy, the beauty, of it. He’d never heard the music of her laughter before, nor seen it glowing in her magnificent eyes. Seated on a pile of lush furs, laughing up at him, Jennifer Merrick was unforgettable. He realized it as clearly as he realized that if he walked over and sat down beside her, there was every chance he was going to find her irresistible as well.

As he spoke, his hand curved round her head, pressing inexorably downward, inch by slow inch, until his warm breath was mingling with hers, and then his gaze lifted, locking with hers. Insistent, knowing gray eyes captured frightened, beguiling blue ones, imprisoning them as he brought her lips down against his. A jolt slammed through Jenny’s entire nervous system, her eyes closed, and his lips began to move on hers, thoroughly and possessively exploring each tender curve and trembling contour.

Perched upon that log, Royce thought she looked incredibly desirable—a charming wood nymph with long curly hair, clad in a boy’s tunic and hose. A wood nymph? Next she would have him composing sonnets to her beauty—and wouldn’t that delight her sire, not to mention enliven the gossip at court in two countries! “Was that question too difficult for you?” he said, his voice sharp with self-annoyance. “Shall I try to frame an easier one?”

Jennifer’s eyes lit with fondness. “Brenna will always find something good to say about me, no matter how shocking my mistakes or outrageous my conduct. She said I ‘sparkled like the sun and moon and stars.’ ” A bubble of laughter escaped Jenny and she regarded Royce with eyes aglow with merriment. “Which of course I did—sparkle, I mean.”
His voice harsh with feelings he could neither understand nor contain, Royce looked at her and said tightly, “Some women need no jewels to make them sparkle. You are one of them.”

Failing to catch sight of the giant, Tom quickly turned his gaze back for a longer study of the entire, famous man, and this time he took in the entire picture before him—a picture that made his mouth drop open in shock and disbelief: The Black Wolf, the most fierce warrior in all England—in the world—was sitting atop his mighty warhorse, with a girl cradled in his arms—holding her as tenderly as a babe!

Lifting his head, Royce stared down into her slumberous blue eyes, and Jenny saw the look of pure satisfaction mingled with puzzlement on his face—”Why is it when you yield, I feel like the one who has been conquered?”
“Why is it,” Royce murmured, gazing into her intoxicating eyes, “that every time you surrender willingly, like this, you make me feel like a king who has conquered. Yet when I conquer you against your will, you make me feel like a defeated beggar?”

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Book Depository

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Midnight Sun by M. J. Fredrick

Format: E-book
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Self Published
Series: Standalone
Hero: Marcus Devlin
Heroine: Brylie Winston
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: June 6, 2011
Started On: August 7, 2011
Finished On: August 8, 2011

Midnight Sun is the latest contemporary romantic suspense release by M. J. Fredrick. Midnight Sun starts in a deceptively simple manner and lulls the reader into a false sense of security before the adventure aspect of the novel kick starts with a bang and refuses to let up until towards the very end. The story starts off with Brylie Winston leaving the hotel room in Hobart, Australia where she spends the night with a man for the first time in a year and half, always paying heed to the caution that rules her life until she meets the charming Marcus who manages to practically knock her proverbial socks off with his sheer charm and sexuality.

Come morning, Brylie more than regrets succumbing to Marcus’s well-played seduction which had sent her senses spiraling as she finds out that Marcus is none other than her boss and the youngest son of the Delvins who owns and operates the ice breaker turned cruise liner on which Brylie acts as head chef. For Marcus, the cruise trip to Antarctica is his way of saving face after his latest scandal and when he finds out that the red head who rocked his world the night before works for him, things start looking up for Marcus until he finds out that Brylie has no intention of indulging in a repeat performance.

However, Marcus is not one to give up and before long, Brylie finds her defenses crumbling in the face of Marcus’s true personality that comes to light as they spend time together. But before their purely sexual acquaintance can go any further, the cruise liner comes under attack by pirates who are willing to do anything to see that their demands are met. Its by pure luck that Marcus and Brylie manage to hide and outwit their captors until Marcus is forced to give himself up, sacrificing himself for the rest of the passengers on board for whom he feels responsible. Its the sheer bravery and quick thinking on both Brylie and Marcus’s part that eventually saves the day and not a minute too late at that.

Midnight Sun is a well rounded addition to M. J. Fredrick’s already impressive collection of romantic suspense novels. This one offers a hero who is not well versed in the art of defense and guns and the whole lot but still manages to think on his feet and tackle the problems they face, even though his family thinks of Marcus as someone who will never take responsibility seriously. Marcus suffers from “itchy-feet-syndrome” and it is only when it comes to Brylie and the hair raising couple of days that they go through that Marcus finds his anchor in life. It is the situation that both Brylie and Marcus finds themselves in that eventually creates the unbreakable bonds of intimacy which otherwise may not have happened.

Brylie is a trademark M. J. Fredrick heroine. Smart, capable, independent and yet vulnerable because of her past, Brylie is a heroine worth admiring as she on many occasions proves herself beyond capable in handling a chaotic situation with both feet planted firmly on the ground. Though Brylie tries hard not to fall for Marcus, she is no match for his arousing kisses and touches that at the same time serves as the healing balm to soothe her wounded heart and pride. And Marcus in turn finds in Brylie a reason to strive to be more and give love and commitment a shot in his otherwise sporadic existence.

Filled with adrenaline pumping moments and those sensually stirring scenes of passion that never fails to evoke all the right kind of emotions, Midnight Sun is recommended for those who love romantic suspense in unusual settings. And believe me, Antarctica is as unusual as it gets!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Guarding Suzannah by Norah Wilson

Format: E-bookguardingsuzannah
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Self-Published
Series: To Serve and Protect, Book 1
Hero: John Quigley
Heroine: Suzannah Phelps
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: August 14, 2010
Started On: August 6, 2011
Finished On: August 6, 2011

Guarding Suzannah by Norah Wilson is the 1st book in her To Serve and Protect Series. Suzannah Phelps is the beautiful and brilliant criminal defense attorney nicknamed the “Ice Princess” and “She-Rex” because of her ability to shred cops in witness stands. Her success rate at the courts comes with a price that sometimes leaves a feeling of discontentment deep within her rather than one of elation. Rich, sophisticated and the daughter of a judge who comes from a long line of judges, Suzannah is being stalked by an unknown assailant that scares her more than she is willing to let on.

Detective John Quigley of the St. Cloud Police Department knows deep in his gut that the sleek and beautiful Suzannah is so way out of his league that it isn’t even funny to think about. But John being the masochist he is cannot help but be drawn towards the woman who had made him sit up and take notice of her when he had being the one who had come up with the short end of the straw when placed in the witness stand and quizzed by none other than the woman herself. Though John knows that nothing much can come out of his fascination with a woman who barely seems to notice that he even exists, that doesn’t stop him from cluing in on Suzannah’s fear of a stalker that she refuses to report to the police.

With no way of protecting her unless Suzannah reports about her stalker to the police, John does the next best thing and proposes that he take on the job, pretending to be her boyfriend for the duration to keep the vicious stalker at bay. Suzannah is not the easiest woman to offer help to and John finds himself infuriated and aroused at the same time by a woman whose stubbornness makes him want to shake her and kiss her senseless.

Though Suzannah knows she is not the passionate type, she can’t help but be drawn to explore the coil of desire that slumbers and unfurls slowly deep inside of her when John makes no secret of how much he desires her and has no qualms about showing her just how passionate she can be in the arms of the right man for her. As their desire for each other reach new heights, so does the stalker up the stakes forcing John to pull out all the stops to draw out a mad man willing to do anything to make Suzannah suffer as he has.

Guarding Suzannah is my first taste of romantic suspense by Norah Wilson who wowed me by her paranormal vampire romance The Merzetti Effect which I reviewed sometime last month. Though Guarding Suzannah doesn’t make it to the 5-star mark for me, it still managed to keep me riveted on the passion that explodes between two people whom the rest of the world may deem unsuitable because of their differences and of course intrigued me enough to keep continually guessing on who the stalker could be. The twist towards the end certainly managed to surprise me, which is ALWAYS a good thing when it comes to romantic suspense.

John is such a great hero. Tender, possessive, protective and has that sexy vibe that makes a girl’s toes curl inward. Suzannah at first comes off perfectly as her “Ice Princess” persona which starts to shed layer by layer until we are left with a woman who yearns for the love of a man like John just like every other girl. Her gutsy nature coupled with her vulnerability won me over and if that didn’t do the job for me, then what Suzannah was willing to sacrifice towards the end for her love for John definitely sealed the deal for me.

Witty banter & toe-tingling passion with just the right amount of suspense thrown into make things interesting, Guarding Suzannah is a book for those who love romantic suspense that evolves slowly, but leaves you with a good buzz all around once you are done. And one of the best things about Guarding Suzannah for me was to read a romance between two people who bring no prior baggage into the relationship which was a refreshing change from the norm.

I am definitely getting myself the rest of the books in the series, the next one being Saving Grace which I am very much interested in reading as both the hero and heroine from Saving Grace have already appeared in Guarding Suzannah, enticing me all that much more to know their story. And I’ve just got to say this, I love me an author who gives a beautiful epilogue that ties up everything towards the end and Norah, you’ve definitely done that with Guarding Suzannah which makes me one happy chick all around!

Favorite Quotes

The look he shot was incredulous in the extreme. “You have a filing system for your shoes?”
She lifted her chin, daring him to make something of it. “I can see the concept of organization is a foreign one, Detective, but there’s nothing wrong with knowing what goes where. In fact, there can be some bonuses to being a little anal about this stuff.”

Her hand came up to touch his face and he was lost. Groaning, he went for her upturned mouth, covering it hotly.
She threw herself into the kiss. There was no other way to describe it. Even as he plundered that lush, bourbon-ripe mouth, she plundered right back, giving as good as she got. And all the while, her hands slid through his hair, shaping his skull, pulling him closer.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

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