Review: Midnight Man by Lisa Marie Rice

Format: E-bookmidnightman
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Midnight, Book 1
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: John Hunnington
Heroine: Suzanne Barron
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: November 12, 2004
Started On: June 11, 2011
Finished On: June 12, 2011

Midnight Man by Lisa Marie Rice is book one in her Midnight series. I have previously read and loved the third and final book in the series entitled Midnight Angel. This is my third attempt at reading Midnight Man, my previous two attempts halted somewhere in the midst of the first chapter due to one reason or the other.

Midnight Man tells the story of John Hunnington who is forced into early retirement from his career as a tough Navy SEAL. Known as the Midnight Man to his fellow comrades, John is a man well versed in the art of killing and now owns his own top notch security company known as Alpha Security International. It is his expanding business that makes him seek out Suzanne Baronn who is leasing out part of her building as office space, perfect for what he wants and in the process finds himself blindsided with the need to possess the classy and elegant beauty who stands in front of him.

Suzanne with her interior decorating business is the exact opposite of John. And the way John commands all of her senses right from the very first meet itself has Suzanne ready to flee from the intensity of her response to a man that she barely knows from Adam. However, from the moment John possesses her up against the wall during their very first date means that there is no turning back for Suzanne who has envisioned a very different process by which she would fall in love with the man she would share the rest of her life with. And when danger of the life threatening variety comes calling out of nowhere, it is to John that Suzanne turns towards who pulls no punches in ensuring that the woman who rocks his world in more ways than one would remain safe as long as he is capable of breathing.

The Midnight series tells stories of uber alpha males and the dainty yet strong heroines who are actually damsels in distress the said alphas race to rescue. With mind numbing passion of the explosive variety which is very well done, Midnight Man delivers on all counts and I loved reading every little bit of how two very different people find their soul mates in each other in the most unusual of circumstances.

I fell in love with John when I read the following part of the book where his burgoening feelings towards Suzanne is vocalized for the very first time in the story.

And I definitely loved the ending of the story though there was no epilogue in this one which somehow doesn’t end up feeling lacking.

Recommended for fans of Lisa Marie Rice/Elizabeth Jennings.

Favorite Quotes

The tree was pretty, she thought with satisfaction. It reached almost to the ceiling and the branches, thick and glossy, contrasted cheerily with the ribbons and apples and strands of fluffy white popcorn. The tree glowed with color. There were no store-bought ornaments on the tree, but that only made it charming, like something out of a Normal Rockwell painting.
“Pity we don’t have an angel,” she sighed. Her mother had a wonderful hand-made papier-mache white-and-gold angel picked up in Naples, which would have looked perfect on top of the tree.
John squeezed her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. His deep voice was quiet as he said, “You wouldn’t fit on top.”

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Ellora’s Cave

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Review: Woman on the Run by Lisa Marie Rice

Format: E-bookwomanontherun
Read with: Kindle for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Sam Cooper
Heroine: Julia Devaux
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: October 1, 2005
Started On: June 10, 2011
Finished On: June 11, 2011

Julia Devaux finds herself in the mother of all fixes when she witnesses a mob hit and becomes a valuable witness who could put away the dangerous Joey Capruzzo behind bars for a good long time. However that also means that one seriously rich and pissed off Capruzo is after her pretty little head served on a platter which would mean another failed attempt by the US government  to indict him.

A book worm and film buff at the core, though Julia has lived a life of moving from one place to the other with her parents always on the move, she is not at all prepared to change into a Sally Anderson, a second grade school teacher in the middle of nowhere in Simpson, Idaho. With her life turned completely upside down, Julia is one step away from just simply sitting down and wailing at the winds when things take an interesting turn and she starts having an unholy fascination for anything to do with the tall, strong and silent Sam Cooper who turns up on her doorstep most unexpectedly.

Ex-Navy SEAL, Sam is a man who finds himself in serious trouble when the delectable new teacher in Idaho leaves him with a raging hard-on for the first time in almost two years. Sam’s past and the famous Cooper curse makes him a wary man on all counts. On top of all that, Sam is not a man who has much inclination to talk which has him sweating buckets when it comes to wooing and seducing the one woman whom he wants more than his next breath.

With a whopping figure of two million on her head, Julia is far from safe even in a no name town such as Simpson when it brings out a killer most cunning who will do anything to find out and kill Julia, all for the luxury the money for the kill would bring.

Whe Sam finds out that Julia, the woman who has turned his life and that of his town around is a woman on the run, there is no stopping him from pulling out all the stops in protecting the one woman who means the world to him. Towards the end, the cunning killer almost wins in putting Julia six feet under until Sam arrives to the rescue with just seconds to spare.

I loved Woman on the Run by Lisa Marie Rice as this turned out to be refreshingly different from the rest of her novels I have read to date. I say different because of the take on humor this story has which had me laughing out loud in several places when Julia’s quirky sense of self-depreciating humor along with the small town life comes into play.

From the aspect of the hero and the trademark LMR sensuality, this book is another winner with Sam being the uber-alpha and the protective kind whose want and need for Julia goes beyond anything describable. Julia is an endearing heroine whom I loved from the start of the novel though she sounds a bit confused of what she wants and needs at the beginning of the story. The villain when brought to light turned out to be the biggest shocker rendering this as one of the most enjoyable romantic suspense by the author. For me the best part of the epilogue of the story which takes place 4 years later turned out to be how different a man Sam is towards the end. And I would love to point it out that the overly descriptive narrations that annoyed me in Hotter than Wildfire which I reviewed earlier were non-existent in this one, making it earn a whopping 5 stars from the sunny side of life!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Ellora’s Cave 

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Review: Hotter than Wildfire by Lisa Marie Rice

Format: E-bookhotterthanwildfire
Read with: Kindle for I-Phone
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Protectors, Book 2
Publisher: Avon Red
Hero: Harry Bolt
Heroine: Ellen Palmer
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: April 5, 2011
Started On: June 7, 2011
Finished On: June 10, 2011

Book 2 in the Protector series didn’t wow me as much as its predecessor did. But nevertheless Lisa Marie Rice still managed to hold my undivided attention as I delved into the story of Harry Bolt, someone who has a very painful past from which he still has recurring nightmares.

34 year old Harry is one of the 3 “blood” brothers that own RBK Security. Having served in the army and with enough scars to last for a lifetime, Harry’s savior comes in the form of the sweet and sultry voice of the mystery singer only known as Eve. By a twist of fate it is Ellen Palmer i.e. Eve herself  who makes her way to seek the services of RBK Security who specializes in helping out beaten and battered up women fleeing for their lives with nowhere else to turn to.

For someone who believes that nothing in this world could surprise him anymore, that is exactly what Harry feels when he discovers that the scared red haired beauty in front of him who has awoken his dormant libido after two years is none other than the goddess whose voice it had been that had led him out of the shit hole his life had been in back then.

Once Harry claims Eve as his, there is no turning back for either of them as heady passion stronger than anything describable takes hold of them delivering sensuous scenes of love that is trademark Lisa Marie Rice.

As with most of her stories, the bad guys are vicious in their intent and actions and nothing short of Eve’s death would stop them. As the bad guys pull all the stops to find out where Eve is in hiding, Eve finds herself in a cocoon of love, warmth and friendship which she fears would shatter if she stays around too long. Its touch and go during the last showdown with the bad guys and once again Mike, Sam and Harry work together to save the one woman who lights up Harry in more ways than one.

As I said earlier, though I didn’t love this one as much as I did Sam and Nicole’s story, nevertheless I still loved Harry as a hero. Strong and uber protective, Harry is enough to melt any woman on the inside because of his caring nature. And I loved seeing glimpses of Sam and Nicole in this one and of course the two very beautiful epilogues at the end of the second one which takes place a year later hopefully signals the beginning of Mike’s story.

As some readers have pointed out, I too have problems with how Ms. Rice tends to go a tad overboard with her descriptions making it a bit tiresome to tread through the repetitive material to find the actual story beneath it. But, being a huge fan of Ms. Rice, I’m willing to look beyond that into the story and would rate this as a great read worth your time if you love Lisa Marie Rice or if you love romantic suspense with an all-out alpha who would literally make you swoon as you get to know him. And I have to warn you, this one’s got a pretty powerful prologue to it that may just require you keep a wad of tissues handy.

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

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Review: Backstage Pass by Olivia Cunning

Format: E-bookbackstagepass
Read with: Kindle for iPhone
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Sinners on Tour, Book 1
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Hero: Brian Sinclair
Heroine: Dr. Myrna Evans
Sensuality: 4.9
Date of Publication: October 1, 2010
Started On: June 5, 2011
Finished On: June 7, 2011

In the debut novel of this one of a kind erotic series entitled Sinners on Tour, author Olivia Cunning introduces us to the decadent world of rock, glory, lust and love that makes up the world of the rock n’ roll music group known as the Sinners.

With 5 members to their group, the series kicks off with the story of Brian Sinclair who carries the stage name ‘Master Sinclair’ and meets his match in human sexuality professor Dr. Myrna Evans.

35 year old Myrna has a painful past from which she still suffers. Marriage to an alcoholic and the preceding divorce which had turned ugly has left its mark on Myrna who wants nothing more than the mindless oblivion the passion between her and Brian provides.

7 years younger than Myra, Brian is a romantic to his very soul who finds his muse as well as the love of his life in Myra. However convincing her that they are meant to be together in every sense of the way might take just more out of Brian than he ever foresaw.

The one thing that struck me the most when it came to Backstage Pass is how Olivia Cunning brings the whole rock scene alive in her story. The stage performances, the lives that each member lives behind the scenes and the roadies that accompany them all together made me feel as if I were part of the story instead of being on the outside looking in.

I found each and every single character that made his or her entrance into the book fascinating in their own right. Though Myrna tended to get on my nerves a time or two I liked her well enough and flat-out adored Brian for his caring as well as dreamy nature. As most female readers would agree, Sed proves to be a character that I found myself drawn towards and thankfully his story has already come out which I will pursue as soon as I find some free time.

Olivia Cunning has definitely penned an erotic romance series well worth checking out, delivering on all sorts of kinky as well as good old fashioned sexual content highly sensual in nature. Though I admit to have skimmed through a couple of the sex scenes because some of them weren’t really for me, fans of erotica who like variety in their sexual content would definitely love this one.

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

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ARC Review: Yours To Keep by Shannon Stacey

Format: E-bookYourstokeep
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Kowalski Family, Book 3
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Sean Michael Kowalski
Heroine: Emma Shaw
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: June 6, 2011
Started On: May 28, 2011
Finished On: May 28, 2011

Yours to Keep is the 3rd book in the Kowalski Family series by the very talented Shannon Stacey. Though this is my very first book by Ms. Stacey, I had no trouble identifying with the fact that she can deliver a fantastic romance, and this one definitely makes it into the list of my favorite reads for 2011. This book is going to follow the I-Review format which I introduced earlier and would follow a question and answer format which will hopefully do justice to the wonderful romance this delivered – in spades.

You: What made you pick up Yours to Keep?

MBR: I have always heard good things about Shannon Stacey though I have never had the opportunity to try out her work prior to this. You can always blame it on the hundreds of new books that find their way into my TBR pile (sneaky things these books). And this time when I found Yours to Keep up for grabs on Netgalley I didn’t hesitate to procure a copy and here I am grinning from ear to ear and nearly purring in complete satisfaction at the end. And of course, fellow blogger Pearl’s fantastic 5-star rating of the book helped things along as well.

You: Tell us a little bit about the hero Sean Kowalski.

MBR: Sean Michael Kowalski finally returns home for good after having served the army for the past 12 years. With blue eyes and a smile that can do serious damage to a woman’s insides, the one thing that Sean wants is to have the freedom for the first time in his life to do whatever he wants before even contemplating about settling down.

You: Now tell us a little bit about the heroine Emma Shaw.

MBR: The owner of Landscaping by Emma, Emma Shaw is an only child who was brought up her grandmother Catherine Shaw after the death of her parents at the age of 4. Emma has her roots tied down in New Hampshire, owns a business doing something that she loves and her only discontentment arises from the fact that her grandmother who finally managed to move to Florida still keeps on worrying about Emma. Whilst Emma doesn’t see the harm in conjuring up an imaginary live in boyfriend to keep her grandmother placated, what she doesn’t realize is the fact that it is indeed a tangled web one weaves when they intend to deceive.

You: How does Sean and Emma meet for the first time?

MBR: Sean and Emma’s first meeting is a memorable one in the story. Sean has just arrived at his cousin Kevin’s place where he would be crashing for the duration of his stay when Emma turns up on his doorstep claiming that she is his fiancée and tries enlisting his help in playing make-believe engaged couple with her for the duration of her grandmother’s upcoming visit. Though Sean thinks Emma to be tall, hot and batshit crazy in that very order, that doesn’t stop him wanting to say yes to Emma’s offer or prevent his body from hungering for hers in the worst way possible.

You: What was it that drew you into the story with Yours to Keep?

MBR: Even though I have never sampled Shannon Stacey’s work prior to this, I totally fell for her style of writing which drew me in right from the very beginning. I loved the concept of the story which was one of the reasons that had me saying Yes to Yours to Keep in the first place and it is the way that Ms. Stacey pulls the right emotions from the reader at every turn that had me reading this in one sitting, something that rarely happens these days.

You: What was it that you liked about Yours to Keep?

MBR: I am someone who ALWAYS loves a good contemporary romance. Throw in a hotter than sin ex-military hero whose vocabulary at the moment does not have any room for the word permanence in it, and a heroine who is his match in every way possible; call me fickle but I love the way two people who aren’t looking for love find it in the last place they are looking for.

I loved a lot of things about this delectable contemporary starting from Sean who is definitely hot enough to melt any woman to a puddle of goo in mere seconds. His whole character starting from his sinfully good looks to the way he tries so hard to keep his desire in check where Emma is concerned made him a hero I enjoyed in every way possible.

And then there is Emma, who has her heart set in the right place but doesn’t know what hits her when her “fake” fiancée turns out to be the real thing. Emma is loyal and intense to Sean’s laid-back attitude and the way that she is unafraid to grab whatever it is that is simmering between her and Sean made me root for her even more!

I loved all the side characters, some of whose stories of happily ever afters have already been told, lending Yours to Keep that extra edge which was why in the end it ended up in my list of favorite reads for 2011.

The sexual tension between Emma and Sean was sizzling hot at all times, the combustive culmination of their surrender that much more sweeter because of the fact. And I absolutely fell in love with Sean the moment he started leaving little bits of notes for Emma all around the house and the final scenes in the story just made me want to bawl my eyes out – with happy tears.

You: What if anything would you want to change in Yours to Keep?

MBR: For me, Yours to Keep is just damn perfect as it is!

You: Who would you recommend Yours to Keep to?

MBR: Fans of the Kowalski series should definitely read this one. Its a keeper!

And for fans of Shannon Stacey who haven’t yet delved into the Kowalski world, you definitely ought to, even if it is with this one. Yes, it is that good!

And for fans of contemporary romances, this one should definitely end up on your pile of books that MUST be read!

You: Any memorable scenes/quotes from Yours to Keep that you would like to share?

MBR: I loved the notes that Sean kept leaving for Emma to find. One of my favorites comes from the list he gives her during the final moments in the story:

You don’t take any crap from me.
You make me laugh.
Missionary is my favorite position now because I can see your face.

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Requested Review: Coyote Wild by Rhian Cahill

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Coyote Hunger, Book 2
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Brogan Wilder
Heroine: Eloise Crawford
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: June 18, 2010
Started On: May 28, 2011
Finished On: May 28, 2011

Coyote Wild is the 2nd book in the Coyote Hunger series, the book that at first caught my eye when I was browsing through Rhian Cahill’s back list. Coyote Hunger series is based on a community of coyote shape shifters and Coyote Wild tells the story of Brogan Wilder, the sovereign leader of the pack who finds his mate in his sister’s best friend Eloise Crawford who comes from Australia to attend his sister Rowan’s wedding.

The last thing that Eloise expects to find in her best friend Rowan’s brother is the gut wrenching need that swirls deep within her even from the first moment she lays eyes on him. Eloise who has never felt that way about anyone in the past is taken aback by a desire that rages out of control within her, a need to possess and be possessed by a man who would be a virtual stranger to her if not for Rowan’s stories about him when they were living together. However that doesn’t stop  her from turning to putty in his arms without knowing exactly what she is getting herself into.

Brogan never thought that he would find his mate in his sister’s best friend and that it would turn out to be a human. But the coyote inside of him refuses to stand down once it has Eloise in its sight that lets Brogan know that there would be no turning back from how Eloise makes him feel. Though Brogan knows that he needs to woo Eloise and introduce her gently into their way of life, it doesn’t make the reciprocated look of mind numbing desire in Eloise’s eyes any less easier to ignore. Before Brogan knows what he is doing, all thoughts of gentle introductions fly out of the window and he has Eloise staked and claimed as his mate within no time.

However, learning to embrace her life as a coyote shifter is the least of Eloise’s worries when Brogan’s enemy makes it his quest to destroy Brogan in anyway he can, a man who has long since moved onto the path of insanity rendering him a danger to Brogan and those whom he loves.

Coyote Wild is a great addition to the Coyote Hunger series. I loved learning about Brogan, the responsibilities that he shoulders as the sovereign ruler of the pack and of course learning of his uncontrollable hunger when it comes to anything to do with his mate for life. Eloise turned out to be my most favorite in this story, her courage and utter determination landing her in my list of favorite heroines. And as always, Rhian outdoes herself in delivering the nerve tingling kind of sensuality at the right pace which just makes her books that much better to indulge in. There are so many interesting characters in the Coyote Hunger series that one can’t help but want a story for each and every single one of them. And I hear that Ms. Rhian is working on Doc and Steve’s story which I bet is going to set my Kindle afire when I get my hands on it.

Coyote Hunger series is highly recommended for those who love a good paranormal/fantasy series featuring shape shifters. I loved the shape shifting scenes included in each of the books, wanting to run my hands all over the coyote’s furry coats each single time. For those who love Rhian Cahill’s erotic contemporary stories, you definitely ought to get a taste of what she can do in the paranormal world.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Diesel E-Books

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Requested Review: Coyote Run by Rhian Cahill

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Coyote Hunger, Book 1.5
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Quinn McClellan
Heroine: Rowan Wilder
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: September 2, 2010
Started On: May 27, 2011
Finished On: May 28, 2011

Coyote Run was released in between the releases of book 1 Coyote Home and book 2 Coyote Wild. Anyone who has read Coyote Home would know that there is a lot of back story to Rowan and Quinn’s happily-ever-after and this is where Ms. Rhian delivers on their shared past.

Running from a mad man who rules their pack, Quinn and Rowan both know that there is no other option except for Rowan to flee and find sanctuary somewhere else, until Quinn and Brogan manages to settle things down and make Whispering Mountains a safe haven for all of them.

It is in the midst of the run for Rowan’s life to safety that Rowan and Quinn mate for the first time, marking each other for life as their own, rendering this quickie to be a smoking hot novella!

If Coyote Home had been a longer novel, this would have passed off as a GREAT prologue and Coyote Home would definitely have been much better with its addition. I know that when it comes to publishing that there is always the word count to consider, but the impact Coyote Home would have made with Coyote Run included would have been much more in my opinion.

That being said, I’m glad that Ms. Rhian decided to go ahead and publish the story of Quinn and Rowan’s past in this way so that fans of Coyote Home would definitely get a treat out of this one.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

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Requested Review: Coyote Home by Rhian Cahill

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Coyote Hunger, Book 1
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Quinn McClellan
Heroine: Rowan Wilder
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: May 12, 2010
Started On: May 23, 2011
Finished On: May 27, 2011

Coyote Home is book 1 in the Coyote Hunger series by Rhian Cahill. This is my first taste of what Rhian can do with a paranormal/fantasy world and I have got to say that I’m impressed because Coyote Home had the ability to completely hook me onto its world and the story that unfolded right from the very beginning. I hear book 2 calling my name in earnest and I can’t wait to delve into Brogan’s story right after putting up my review.

This review too will follow the I-Review format.

You: What made you pick up Coyote Home?

MBR: After reading Singapore Fling by Rhian Cahill and later falling in love with Logan from Doing Logan, I decided to go through her back list to find out books by Rhian Cahill that I have missed. I have to confess that Coyote Wild, the 2nd book in the series is what caught my eye at first because I so love a story where the hero is a shifter and the heroine a human. And when Rhian approached me about doing a review for a couple of her books, I grabbed the chance knowing that Rhian would never steer me wrong.

You: Tell us a little bit about the hero Quinn McClellan?

MBR: Quinn is a coyote shifter and is best friends with Brogan, Rowan’s brother. What you come to know about Quinn just makes you utterly fall for him in all the ways possible. Uber protective with the blood of an alpha male pumping through him, Quinn just took my breath away and along with it my heart as well right from the first moment he made his entrance into the story.

You: Now, tell us a little  bit about the heroine, Rowan Wilder?

MBR: Rowan Wilder the heroine is a coyote shifter as well. Having grown up in Whispering Creek, the Wilder’s home, Rowan is forced to leave everything she loves behind and move to Australia where she has been in hiding for the past 6 years. Now Rowan is back, ready to face the music and to claim Quinn, her mate for life whom she left behind in her attempt to protect him as well as herself.

You: How does Quinn and Rowan meet for the first time?

MBR: Quinn and Rowan grows up together, so there is no mention of how it is they meet up at the very beginning. Even at a very young age, Quinn and Rowan has had an emotional connection to one another without even knowing that within each other lies their mate for life.

You: What was it that drew you into this story?

MBR: The red-hot sizzling passion between Quinn and Rowan that is evident right from the first chapter itself is what drew me in at the beginning. As the story unfolded and 17% into the story, I fell head over heels in love with Quinn for his protective nature when it comes to Rowan. Though he would like nothing better than to claim his mate who has come home to him after 6 long years, Quinn holds back his coyote, letting love and tender care work its magic over Rowan whose problems begin at learning to master her coyote after such a long period of time. And the world that Rhian creates with the introduction of each of the side characters into the story, I was baited hook, line and sinker and never wanted the magic that unfolded to end.

You: What was it that you liked about Coyote Home?

MBR: Quinn MacClellan tops the list of things that I loved about Coyote Home. He makes it into my list of favorite alpha heroes and caused me to hyperventilate a time or two with his take-charge attitude in the bedroom that just melted me in all the right places. Rowan Wilder comes in second, being a heroine that has confidence as well as her own fears to battle but nevertheless loves Quinn and would go to any lengths to protect him and their love for one another. And one of the things that I really loved about Coyote Home is the fact that Ms. Cahill doesn’t let the romance dwindle away in the story at any stage of the story, but rather the blistering passion between Rowan and Quinn remains center stage throughout, making me love Coyote Home all that more!

You: What if anything would you change in Coyote Home?

MBR: I was a bit surprised by the abruptness of the ending. A lot of issues that came up were left unresolved which I am hoping is for the continuity of the series and most of them would be answered by the end of the 2nd book, Coyote Wild which is now practically chanting my name over from the TBR pile!

You: Who would you recommend Coyote Home to?

MBR: Fans of Rhian Cahill of course. You would definitely know what I am talking about when I say that Rhian ALWAYS does a fantastic job with the scenes of passion of the erotic variety. There is not one place in your body that would remain unaffected when Rhian unleashes her brand of sizzling hotness into the story and this one was no exception to that rule.
And for fans of paranormal/fantasy romances. This one’s for you!

You: Any memorable scenes/quotes from Coyote Home?

MBR: Each and every single passionate moment in the story right from the searing first kiss that Quinn places on Rowan to the much tender scenes that unfolds later, I loved all of them to bits.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Diesel E-books

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Requested Review: One Night in Bangkok by Rhian Cahill

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Passport to Passion Collection, Book 1
Publisher: Noble Romance Publishing
Hero: Tom Windham
Heroine: Beth Martin
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: April 1, 2010
Started On: May 22, 2011
Finished On: May 22, 2011

One Night In Bangkok is book 1 in the Passport to Passion Collection. I have read and absolutely loved the 2nd book in the series, Singapore Fling which was my first Rhian Cahill that signaled the start of my adoration when it comes to what she can deliver in terms of very well done and very, very hot erotica. Likewise, One Night in Bangkok is no exception to the rule and packed into this very short novella lies passion with a depth of intensity that is hard to compete with.

Since this story is quite short, I have decided to kick-start my Interview Review aka I-Review with this novel. I-Review follows a question and answer format for the review which hopefully will do justice to this delectable addition to my collection of favorite contemporary erotica of all time!

You: What made you pick up One Night in Bangkok?

MBR: I received this book from the fabulous Rhian Cahill for reviewing purposes. Even prior to that, I had been eyeing this one since its successor did such a huge number on me. This has been in my review pile for quite a long time and in fact right now I am kicking myself for keeping such a hot little edition without any action whatsoever for so long! Ah, but better late than never eh?

You: Tell us a little bit about the hero!

MBR: Well, to tell you the truth apart from his name being Tom Windham and that he just about seriously depleted the oxygen levels in my room (from hyperventilating throughout the story), there is not much I can tell you. All you need to know is, he is ultra hot, breathtakingly handsome and can about make the heroine scream in pleasure just by looking at her the right way.

You: Now, tell us a little bit about the heroine.

MBR: Beth Martin has just survived the end of a bad relationship, namely her engagement to Alexander Hollister whom she had finally exposed to the world for the lying and cheating character he is. Beth had lost so much of herself during her relationship to Alexander that its her attempt to start over and in the process find herself once again that she flies to Bangkok to begin her new job in Phuket the next day.

You: How does the hero and heroine meet for the first time?

MBR: Sweltering from the heat of Bangkok, Beth makes her way into the bar of her hotel to be offered a drink by the man who has the power to bring her to her knees with just one look, an intense mutual reaction that seems to be shared by both Beth and Tom.

You: What was it that drew you into this story?

MBR: Rhian Cahill has a way of spinning an erotic tale unlike any other. And that is what drew me into One Night in Bangkok as well. I love the way the sizzling sexual tension that escalates to unbearable levels just explodes in Rhian’s novels and this one did that to me in a similar fashion, rendering me speechless a time or two whilst Tom and Beth were heating things up!

You: What was it that you liked about this novella?

MBR: The intense passion between Beth and Tom of course! I just reveled in all that out-of-control, I-would-die-if-I-can’t-have-you-right-now scenes that makes up  this book.

You: If given the chance, would you change anything at all in this novella?

MBR: I would have loved to know just a little bit more about Tom. I know he is hot and if he were to turn up on my doorstep I would definitely haul him in and never let him go. But, I would definitely have loved to know more about his personality and what sort of a guy he is all around.

You: Who would you recommend this to?

MBR: Fans of Rhian Cahill. If you, like me have been keeping this around, gathering computer bugs and what not in your TBR folder somewhere, take an hour or so and READ it! And for those who love erotic contemporary romance, this novella is for you!

You: Any memorable scenes/quotes in the story?

MBR: I loved the moment that Tom’s control snapped, rendering him as much a slave to the intense, heady and explosive attraction between him and Beth. Just flat-out loved it!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Diesel E-Books

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Review: Heartbreaker by Karen Robards

Format: Paperbackheartbreaker
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Dell
Hero: Jess Feldman
Heroine: Lynn Nelson
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: August 24, 2011
Started On: May 22, 2011
Finished On: May 22, 2011

With the end of the world stuff circulating around the Internet and the world media, I picked up quite a fitting read for the occasion, and I promise you that it was all by coincidence. Karen Robards is a favorite author of mine and every now and then I pick up something of hers just to get my fix of Ms. Robards who delivers kick-ass romantic suspense with a superb dose of sensuality in almost all of her novels of the genre. Similarly Heartbreaker is a contemporary romantic suspense packed with non-stop action and a race against time as well as the bad guys with a heady mix of humor in it that makes this a great read!

35 year old Lynn Nelson, anchorwoman of WMAQ Chicago is on a vacation from Hell. Lynn had signed up for a 10 day long wilderness vacation just so she can try and work on her relationship with her 14 year old daughter Rory who seems to have a bone to pick with her lately. Lynn is not someone who is at all prepared to “bond” with nature and with her plans to spend more time with Rory backfiring in her face, Lynn is resigned to having a miserable time on the 1st vacation she has taken in 3 years when danger strikes propelling Lynn and her daughter to depend on the last person she would trust for survival.

35 year old Jess Feldman co-owns Adventure Inc. with his elder brother Owen. Jess is handsome, charming and easygoing and has the hots for Lynn from the moment she steps down from the plane to become part of the wilderness vacation which is promoted and carried out by Adventure Inc. And though Lynn makes her disdain for “fake” cowboys clear right from the start, Jess is glutton for punishment as Jess is a man who likes beautiful babes with “balls” as his brother Owen keeps saying.

When a freak accident of nature separates Lynn and Rory from the rest of the group, it is Jess who comes to their rescue, proving that he is the “real” cowboy material time and time again. Surviving the freak accident only to stumble upon one’s worst nightmare, Jess, Rory and Lynn are forced to run for their lives as they are chased through the forest not really knowing what lies in store for them. When a clearer picture emerges from the unfolding events, Jess and Lynn are horrified by the scale to which a mad man who is hell bent on achieving his prophecy of the world coming to an end become true, even if it means taking matters into his own hands, in the most devastating ways possible.

I loved the adventure aspect of this novel. The pace though at the very beginning of the novel tended to be a bit slow for me, once danger comes calling, there is no stopping the chain of events that follows making Heartbreaker a great adventure romance.

I loved Jess’s character. He is the furthest thing from being broody and tortured and all that that makes us ladies go weak at the knees. Contrary to that, Jess is charming, sexy as sin and has a way of teasing Lynn that just brings to light the his endearing qualities. Now before you all go on and think that he is a beta hero, let me stop you right there and say that every single inch of Jess is alpha through and through. When push comes to shove, he is the guy to you can depend on to save you and he certainly proves himself much more than able in ALL the areas that matter *wink*. And I damn near broke out into an applause each single time that Jess kept on surprising Lynn with his true character!

Though the romance aspect of the novel is kept at a minimal, that does’t make the impact of the sexual tension that rises between Jess and Lynn any less and of course the scenes of passion any less memorable. And I so loved the humor-filled tone of the whole story that just kept me on the verge of laughing out loud even through the most tension wrecked moments.

Moving onto Lynn, at first I was ready to project myself into the story and bitch slap her a time or two because she kept getting on my nerves with her less than wonderful attitude. But she does a wonderful job of turning herself around and knowing where her ballsy nature comes from helped in settling my emotions down where she was concerned. In the end, she turns out to be a champion as much as Jess and things do finally end on a happy note with her daughter Rory too! All in all, a very well rounded tale that earns 4 solid stars from the sunny side of life!

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

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