by mvbookreviewer

Review: Cowgirls Don’t Cry by Lorelei James

Format: E-bookcowgirlsdontcry
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Rough Riders, Book 10
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd
Hero: Brandt McKay
Heroine: Jessie McKay
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: November 9, 2010
Started On: November 9, 2010
Finished On: November 12, 2010

The 10th book in the Rough Riders series just totally blew me away. From its deliciously fantasy provoking man chesticle display on its cover till its very end, this story kept me captivated and entertained as I raced through the pages to see two people who deserve their own happily ever after as much as Brandt and Jessie does, achieve it regardless of the many hurdles that they face along the way.

The Hero: Brandt McKay, the second son of Casper and Joan McKay together with his brothers Luke, Dalton and Tell had grown up in a less than idyllic household with a father who had taken his pleasure in belittling his children and wife at every possible opportunity. Luke who had been the oldest, had been his father’s favorite of all 4 of his children, and when he had died in an accident leaving behind his wife Jessie McKay with whom Brandt had been in love with since he had first seen her changes everything. Though Brandt and his brothers work their asses off to keep their ranch profitable, efforts which go unrecognized and belittled by their father at every turn, Brandt tries to do the right thing by his brother’s widow as well. Brandt is the one McKay from the rowdy bunch of McKay’s that actually yearn for a wife and family of his own.

The Heroine: Jessie McKay is a woman who has been severely let down by men, in all stages of her life. Having never known her biological father who had dumped her mother when he had known of her conception, Jessie had been adopted by Billy Reynolds who had wooed and married her mother, only to leave to appease his lust for his vagabond lifestyle which had clearly done a number on Jessie with abandonment issues. When Luke McKay had strolled into her life and wooed her with his charm and good looks, Jessie had fallen for him like a ton of bricks and before she knew it pregnancy had forced Luke and herself into the throes of holy matrimony, the vows which they had promised to uphold seeming to not really matter to Luke once the novelty of being married had worn off. And when Luke had died amidst town gossip and pitying looks aimed Jessie’s way, it had been Brandt who had come to her rescue and eased things along through such a difficult time for her, always giving and never asking for anything in return until the night he professes to have feelings towards her which Jessie rejects.

Storyline: When Brandt comes to Jessie bearing the bad news that Luke had fathered a child with another woman, Jessie’s world which she had just started piecing together crumbles right in front of her eyes. And when Brandt requests her help in looking after his nephew whilst his mother spends 4 months in rehab, Jessie is outraged and unwilling to look after the result of her husband’s continuous strays towards greener pastures during their marriage. But knowing that Brandt has no one else to turn to and because Landon’s deep blue McKay eyes melts something deep inside of her, Jessie agrees to what Brandt proposes with a few conditions of her own tossed into the equation to make things more interesting. Forced into the close proximity that requires Brandt and Jessie to act out  in their role as parents to Landon forces Jessie to admit that Brandt could be just the man she needs in her life, for now and always.

The first Encounter: Though it is Luke McKay that charms and woos Jessie in no time, it had been Brandt who had first seen Jessie at The Devil’s Tower Rodeo and wanted her unlike he had wanted any other woman. But Brandt had made the mistake of pointing her out to Luke and the rest as they say is history.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in Wyoming.

Narrated in: This story is told from both the hero and the heroine’s point of view.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: Though Brandt acknowledges his strong feelings towards his brother’s widow long before this story takes place, it takes Jessie a long time to face the fact that Brandt is just the man for her. With Landon in their lives which creates a circumstance most unusual between Brandt and Jessie, Jessie begins to acknowledge the fact that Brandt stirs up her insides unlike anything she has ever felt before. The delicious awakening on Jessie’s part which begins in this story is one of the best parts of the journey these two take towards their happily ever after. And true to trademark Lorelei James style, this book is packed with tastefully done and oh so erotic and at times beautiful love scenes that just kept the pages turning till the very end.

The turning point: Brandt and Jessie’s story has been a long time coming. I vaguely recall reading bits and pieces of their story in Keeley’s story (All Jacked Up) and more recently in book 9 of the Rough Riders series which was Kane’s story i.e. Raising Kane which I reviewed earlier this week. One of the turning points in Jessie Brandt’s relationship took place when Brandt refused to serve as a convenient handyman for Jessie and walked out on her after confessing his true feelings towards Jessie. Then Landon brings Jessie and Brandt closer than anything else could have, which finally turns things around for two people who definitely deserve each other in every aspect.

Ending: A happily ever after for the happy couple which had me smiling long after I put the story to rest.

Likes:

  1. I don’t know how Ms. James does it but her heroes are always to die for. Brandt McKay is no exception to this said rule and he just totally swept me off my feet from the way he takes care of Landon to how he puts Jessie’s needs above everything else to the way he whispers sweet nothings and rumbles all the dirty edgy stuff as well when the moment calls for it. Its just so damn easy to fall in love with him that I found myself sighing and mooing over him as I raced through the pages till the very end.
  2. The character development. In each of the stories of the Rough Riders series, there is always something new to be learned about the large McKay family which continually keeps growing as the series progresses. The details and tidbits that are dropped in as each story progresses along just makes things more interesting and enticing as the stories continue to stem out for the remaining hell raisers in the McKay bunch.
  3. Jessie McKay. Though I definitely DID NOT like how she acted out in the prologue, I later understood where she was coming from and just how badly her self esteem as a woman had been shot down by her ass of a husband. Her character did a total 180 degree turn on me when she redeemed herself by giving her heart to Brandt, a man who so deserves her love and affection and totally won me over with the cat fight around the end of the story.

Dislikes: As many readers would agree with me, the prologue did nothing but create a feeling of intense dislike towards Jessie which was really unnecessary in the end. So I could have totally done away with the prologue and started from Chapter 1 and I don’t think it would have in anyway made the story that unfolded any less appealing than what it is now.

Recommended for: Those who love the erotica genre but love their novels with enough character development to make you fall in love with each and everyone you meet as you make your journey through the story. And for fans of the Rough Riders series. This was just as good for me as the other two stories that I have managed to read from the series.

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

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Black Ice by Anne Stuart

Format: E-bookBlack Ice
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Ice, Book 1
Publisher: MIRA
Hero: Bastien Toussaint
Heroine: Chloe Underwood
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: May 1, 2005
Started On: November 8, 2010
Finished On: November 8, 2o10

Anyone who reads romances as much as I do would have come across their fair share of heroes who are rakes, bad boys and those wickedly irredeemable men that draws a collective sigh from us female readers and makes us want to be the one who would tame the big bad boy he is grown into. Anne Stuart takes her heroes just a tad further and create heroes who have something extra that gives them an edge compared to heroes created by other authors. Her heroes are a bit darker, a bit more ruthless and they stay true to their form without coming off as a wimp at the first sight of the heroine in the story. Sometimes I tend to feel cheated out of the hype that the author tends to create with alpha heroes, painting a picture of them leading lives that have no place for a woman beside them, and suddenly at the first scent of their life partner they become the complete antithesis of their true form overnight. Thus reading about a hero such as Bastien completely made my day and has certainly whetted my appetite for more of the heroes of the “gamma” type that Ms. Stuart creates so well.

The Hero: Bastien Toussaint, 32 years of age is a man who walks a fine line between life and death in his work for an organization named The Committee, who believes that the end justifies the means no matter who or what is sacrificed in the end. Bastien has been truly honed and trained to be a ruthless and efficient killing machine since he was recruited for the organization when he was in his early twenties. Bastien had been born to a mother who had never wanted him in the first place, who had been forced to carry him to term because one of her more possessive lovers had thought the child to be his until he had known otherwise and walked out, which by the time it had been too late to get rid of Bastien. Life had hardly being idyllic for Bastien and he had followed around after his globe-trotting mother until at the age of 15 he had left home with a woman twice his age and never looked back. His current mission has been 2 years in the making and Bastien is deep undercover with a group of ruthless killers who are into arms dealing which The Committee wants an eye kept on.

The Heroine: Chloe Underwood, 23 years old is the youngest of the Underwood siblings and had grown up in the North Carolina mountainous area and has a love for languages and cooking. Fluent in French, Italian, Spanish, German with a healthy smattering of Russian and German and few bits of Arabic and Japanese, Chloe has withstood the constant pressure from her family to bow down to family tradition and enroll in medical school something which Chloe who is squeamish at the sight of blood has vowed to resist with every fiber of her being. Chloe had arrived in Paris two years back on a student visa finds work translating children’s books, a job which her vivacious friend Sylvia had found for her. Chloe yearns for a  bit of excitement in her otherwise completely dull life and gets more than she has bargained for when she meets Bastien Toussaint.

Storyline: When Sylvia pleads Chloe to take a translation job for a bunch of boring businessmen to earn a couple of hundred of Euros, Chloe though at first reluctant is no match to her friend’s persuasive nature. What Chloe thinks would be a relaxed laid back weekend at a countryside chateau turns into the most frightening experience of Chloe’s life and delivers her life with the “excitement” she has been craving for when she finds herself on the run for her life with the enigmatic Bastien acting as her savior, a man she finds more dangerous to her heart and desires than the ruthless killers who are determined that she would not live to see another day.

The First Encounter: It is when Chloe arrives at the chateau and introductions are made to the group of businessmen to whom she would be acting as a translator that Chloe lays eyes on the enigmatic and dangerous Bastien Toussaint. The attraction she feels is immediate and takes her unawares with the first glance from the fathomless dark eyes of Bastien.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in France and later in North Carolina, USA.

Narrated in: This story is told in both the hero and heroine’s point of view.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: From the first minute that Chloe lays her eyes on the vital and sinfully handsome Bastien, a relentless attraction takes a hold of her regardless of the fact that Bastien seems to be interested in Chloe as much as he would be for a block of wood. At first, for Bastien who has always had a ruthless command on his emotions and never lets himself feel anything except be on the lookout for his own hide, Chloe is just part of his job, a sore thumb that sticks out from the ruthless negotiations taking place in the chateau. Even then, it is Bastien’s fascination with Chloe that makes him put his cover and life on the line to save her, just in the nick of time. Even on the run, Bastien keeps his emotions and need to touch and feel Chloe reined in, because he knows that if he gives in, he would never be able to stop with just one taste.

The turning point: Chloe challenges everything that Bastien has believed of himself until now when he becomes her savior from the throes of a ruthless killer hellbent on enjoying taunting Chloe with her imminent death. On the run, it is just Chloe and Bastien as the hunger between them surges out of control making this book one of the best of its kind.

Ending: Till towards the very last pages of the story, Bastien manages to keep the readers guessing on his exact feelings towards Chloe though it is evident from his actions that she is the most important person to her in the whole world. Though the ending was a bit abrupt for my taste, it still delivered the happily ever after which Bastien and Chloe deserve at the very end.

Likes:

  1. Bastien Toussaint. I just totally loved his character which didn’t just change overnight into this wimpy puddle of everlasting love at the mere sight of Chloe. Bastien is ruthless to the point where certain readers might find him offensive, but I found his ruthlessness further enhanced his attraction. The way he saves Chloe even though he is unsure of what it is exactly that Chloe manages to invoke in his cynical and ice cold heart just made my heart go Aww!! every single time! And the scenes where he sleeps with Chloe in his arms… Sigh!!
  2. Some reviewers have found Chloe to be a more doormat sort of heroine but I found her to be just the right match for a man like Bastien. Chloe is no doormat mind you, but a woman who is helplessly ensnared by the heady attraction she has for a man ruthless enough to kill anyone who comes after her regardless of the fact he or she is friend or foe. How Chloe manages to chip away at the ice cold armor around his heart is what made Chloe an endearing heroine for me.

Dislikes: I was really disappointed with the fact that the ending seemed kind of abrupt. I wish that Ms. Stuart had provided us with a good epilogue that would have made saying goodbye to Bastien just a trifle bit easier for me.

Favorite Quotes

It was the kiss of a man in love, and for a moment she simply floated, lost in the perfect beauty of his mouth on hers.

Sigh! I just can’t help listen to Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden and sigh and moon over Bastien.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: In Name Only by Janet Bieber

Format: Paperbackinnameonly
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ivy Books
Hero: Ian Patterson
Heroine: Valeriana Grace MacPherson
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: July 5, 2000
Started On: November 7, 2010
Finished On: November 8, 2010

This is one of those titles that I just had to end up buying because storylines such as the one this story has promises to deliver a good read. I have never read any previous titles by Janet Bieber and hence this book proved to be a delightful surprise as it delivered a good romance worth sinking your teeth into.

The Hero: Born and raised in Ireland, Ian Patterson spent most of his childhood after 8 years of age with his paternal grandparents who had instilled in him his love for sailing. Knowing that there is nothing left for him in Ireland when his grandparents die within a couple of months of each other, Ian sets sail for America, the land of freedom. A man of ruddy complexion, tall and brawny in frame with rugged features, Ian is a handsome one at that and is the owner of his own shipping company, Patterson Shipping Line. When Reverend John MacPherson arrives in Cleveland with his four daughters in tow and introduces Ian to his second daughter Lileas Chastity MacPherson a woman of immense beauty, Ian is a goner from that very moment. Nine years on, he has four beautiful children whom he would never regret though his marriage has been less than perfect with a wife who was more fickle and selfish than anybody had ever realized.

The Heroine: Valeriana Grace MacPherson, now 28 years old is the eldest and spinsterish daughter of John MacPherson. Plain where her younger sister is a beauty, Valeriana or Ana as everyone calls her is the intelligent one in the family. Growing up with a father who has his own radical views on what is important in life, what is forbidden and allowed, Ana is a woman torn between using her own intelligence to deduce what is right and wrong and obeying her father’s preaching, the father who had taught her everything he knows. Labeled as prudish, prim and prissy by the town folk, Ana has never been courted and is resigned to a fate of spending all her life serving her father’s church by his side.

Storyline: The shocking and sudden death of Lily and her stillborn baby propels Ana to move into Ian’s home to look after her sister’s babies and save them from the “unholy” influence of Ian who has never proclaimed to be anything but human. But Ana was never ever prepared for the kind, generous and loving man that Ian actually is, a man who would protect what is rightfully his at any cost.

The First Encounter: When Reverend John MacPherson arrives in Cleveland, the opportunistic man he is drags the successful young shipper to the inn where his family is residing in, planning on snaring Ian for his beautiful Lily, a plan which goes without a hitch when Ian marries the beautiful Lily in a matter of weeks. But it had been Ana who had first caught Ian’s eyes, with the intelligence that was shining from her eyes before Lily had stood up and stolen his very breath by her beauty.

Time period: This story takes place in Cleveland, Ohio in 1834.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: Ana had always been prickly whenever Ian had been around. With a prejudice that had been taught and hammered into her since childhood, Ana tries to label what she feels for Ian as despise for his behavior, but in reality it is her awareness of Ian as a man that makes her tongue-tied and makes her yearn for things impossible with her ex-brother-in-law. Ian is horrified when the prissy and prim Ana moves into his home to take care of his children but once he sees the magic she so effortlessly weaves on his children with her love and affection, Ian is forced to look deeper into the complex woman that Ana is and find that for the second time round he is hopelessly ensnared with a MacPherson, something he had sworn not to do when Lily had died.

The turning point: Both Ana and Ian are forced to take a deeper look into the other and reevaluate their opinions of one another once Ana moves in to take care of his children. The close proximity of caring for Ian’s children brings forth feelings that neither Ian nor Ana thought possible. And when Reverend MacPherson who goes a little mad in his head when the apple of his eye dies, tries to harm Ana, it is Ian who comes up with the most daring proposal of all – make Ana his wife and claim her as his own.

Ending: Before the story is through, Ana has to come face to face with the real version of her younger sister who had never really abided by the vows that she had promised to uphold when she had become the lawfully wedded wife of Ian and face a man who had gone mad upon the death of his sister, mad enough to harm the very foundation of Ian’s world.

Likes:

  1. Ian Patterson. He just makes my heart go pitter-patter with his patience, deep abiding love for his children and his smoldering sensuality. Perfect hero material. Sigh!!
  2. Ana for being woman enough to take the high road and change into someone worth admiring, letting go of the shackles of prejudice that had been hammered into her from childhood to embrace a man who is so worth everything else she leaves behind.

Dislikes: None.

Recommended for: Fans of historical romances and fans of stories of the theme marriages of convenience.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Raising Kane by Lorelei James

Format: E-bookraisingkane
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Rough Riders, Book 9
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Kane “Buck” McKay
Heroine: Ginger Paulson
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: June 29, 2010
Started On: November 6, 2010
Finished On: November 7, 2010

Raising Kane is my second book by Lorelei James and as it turns out, the second book that I tried out from her famous Rough Riders series. Since I am not much of a fan of menages and such and tend to stick to plain old m/f romances, I haven’t read most of the books in the Rough Riders series. The one book that I read though, All Jacked Up definitely whetted my appetite for more of Ms. James writing and I am pretty much looking forward to her November release Cowgirls Don’t Cry which is to feature Brandt and Jessie McKay’s story since the foundation of the story was laid out in this book which definitely has piqued my interest. So onto my review of Raising Kane I go.

The Hero: Kane McKay, identical twins to Kade McKay has had his fair share of running on the wild side. But gone are the days that he let his wildness define him and Kane is a man who is ready for the domestic scene regardless of the fact whether he is ready to admit the fact to himself or not. Kane has a chip the size of Mount Everest on his shoulder because he barely managed to graduate from high school and has always managed to measure himself on the short side when it comes to comparing himself with others intellectually. Kane’s description is a tantalizing one, depicted as having a body to die for, an angular jawline with a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee and kissable lips with dark blue eyes. Oh my! Nobody had thought that Kane would stick to the Big Buddies/Little Buddies program he joins to mentor little kids growing up without the influence of a male presence in their lives. And it is here that Kane gets paired up with Hayden whose mother makes Kane forget every sensible thought ever to reside in his brain.

The Heroine: Ginger Paulson is a single mom, a lawyer and caretaker of her wheelchair bound father Dane and Ginger wouldn’t have it any other way. 37 years old, Ginger has a streak of independence within her a mile wide which prevents her from asking for help even when she is desperately in need of it. Having been burned badly in the torrid affair that had taken place between her and Hayden’s father, Ginger keeps to herself and hasn’t dated since she moved from Southern California to take over her dad’s law practice in Wyoming. Ginger is not one of those dainty women who most of the time take the leading role in romance novels but rather she is six foot of curves in all the right places with red hair and hazel eyes that just drives Kane nuts – all in a good way. *wink*

Storyline: When Ginger falls down the stairs of her office building and ends up hurting herself badly, it is Kane who rides to her rescue upon Hayden’s request. Though Ginger is the star of every wicked and wanton fantasy that Kane has had for the past two years, she is strictly off limits because he is Hayden’s mentor in the Big Buddies/Little Buddies program. But that doesn’t stop him from wanting to kiss and claim every luscious inch of stubborn independent woman that Ginger is. Ginger is no more immune to Kane and his wonderfully wicked sensuality than she is to her body’s wanton desires to claim Kane as her own. The vulnerable position Ginger ends up in begins the ride of her life with the wonderful Kane by her side which opens up both their eyes to the possibility that what they have found in each other could be so much more, if given half the chance.

The First Encounter: Though there is not much detail into how Ginger and Kane had first met, the description of a memory that Kane still has of the time they had met makes  me draw the conclusion that Kane and Ginger had first got acquainted when Ginger had taken her son Hayden for his first meeting with his mentor from the Big Buddies/Little Buddies program which had turned out to be Kane McKay.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in Wyoming.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: With the first kiss that takes place between Kane and Ginger (which is long before this novel), the attraction between them is white hot and always at a simmer, ready to explode given the chance. Though its hard for Kane and Ginger to get together with Ginger living with her son and father with a full-time job as well and Kane busy with his ranch work, both of them have to get really creative to appease their undeniable hunger for one another which blazes out of control from the first heady experience with one another. Ms. James surely lights up all the fires with her characters and leaves no avenue unexplored with at times raunchy and wall-banging encounters and at other times scenes filled with tenderness and much love that just makes this a perfect read.

The turning point: Falling down the stairs proves to be the best thing that happens to Ginger in a long, long time as it opens up the avenue for her to see firsthand just how wonderful a person Kane is, not just when he lights up her bed with fireworks, but in the tender way that he takes care of her needs in bed and out of it. The love that slowly blossoms in Ginger’s heart whilst Kane’s heart is already at the point of no return is something beautiful in this otherwise hard and fast story.

Ending: A happily ever after with Kane getting everything he wanted and so much more from the woman he loves more than life itself.

Likes:

  1. The wonderful cover. I have got to say that the one thing that always draws me to Ms. James’s books are the wonderful covers that always beg to be stroked, petted and opened up to unearth the wonderful delights that the story has in store for the reader.
  2. ♥Kane McKay♥!! I was halfway in love with him before the first couple of pages and the way he totally cares for Ginger when she is in need of it just clinched the deal for me. His wonderful wickedness and sensuality and bad boy tricks in the bedroom totally goes with the tender and giving side of him out of it which just makes him the yummiest kind of hero ever!
  3. Ginger for understanding the complexity of the man behind Kane’s wild reputation and loving him enough to accept him as who he is, giving him all the love she has and more makes Ginger the type of heroine who I can connect with. And I always love that in a story!
  4. And oh those raunchy hot lovin’! Makes a girl sweat and want some of that lovin’ for her own! *wicked grin*

Dislikes: None

Recommended for: Fans of the Rough Riders series, fans of cowboy romances that feature raw and hot loving in the mix.

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

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Taking Care of Business by Kathy Lyons

Format: E-booktakingcareofbusiness
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Forbidden Fantasies #24
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: James Samuel Finn (Sam)
Heroine: Julie Thomson
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: November 1, 2010
Started On: November 6, 2010
Finished On: November 6, 2010

I found this title from an email I received from Books On Board. The first thing I noticed of course was the hot cover which depicts the hero and heroine in a clandestine position in an elevator of all places – yummy! After that it didn’t take much to convince me that this is just the kind of story that I would like and before I knew it I had the book loaded onto my Kindle ready for the indulgence to begin.

The Hero: James Samuel Finn or Sam is the CEO and the brains behind the multimillion dollar company Robotics for Everyone. Sam is not your typical multimillionaire such that he doesn’t want the fact that he is rich to define who he is. All his past relationships had all come to a halt because all those women had been in love with the multimillionaire Sam rather than the Sam who is most at home in his lab, tinkering away on new products in his overalls with a smudge of grease on  him to complete the picture.

The Heroine: Julie Thomson or Jules as Sam calls her is originally from Nebraska who comes to Chicago to fulfill her dreams of making it big in the city, a dream which had come about when she had just been twelve years old. Julie is the owner of Web Wit and Wonder, her very own advertising firm that she had started with her best friend and graphic artist Karen Wilson using the money that her parents had loaned to start up the business. Two years on, the company is about to go under and Julie knows in her heart that there is no place to go back, but home as a failure.

Storyline: The office space of Web Wit and Wonder is situated in the high rise building that Sam owns and it is by chance that one day Sam sees the beautiful Julie looking like a ray of sunshine in the midst of all the corporate stiffs, making their way towards the elevators. The next thing he knows, the woman who had fired up all his imagination from a distance is pressed to him from head to foot in a crowded elevator and to his surprise and utter delight Julie gives him a taste of what it would be like with her given half the chance. Julie is more than surprised by her own wanton behavior in a crowded elevator with a total stranger though the encounter fires up all her forbidden fantasies. Within a space of seven weeks, more encounters between the two take place all in crowded elevators signaling the beginning of a hot and heavy affair which both Julie and Sam promise would be just a sexual one with no pressure on both sides as Julie plans to close down her business and leave Chicago in the next 3 weeks. Not wanting Julie to know that he is actually the multimillionaire who owns the building, Sam uses the persona that he is most comfortable with, leading Julie to think that she is having her hot and heavy affair with a maintenance personnel in the building rather than its owner.

The First Encounter: The first encounter between Julie and Sam takes place inside a crowded elevator when Julie is pressed up against the delectable Elevator Man as she calls Sam at the beginning, to find out that Sam was having a very much involuntary reaction to her nearness which Julie takes advantage of before the elevator ride is up.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in Chicago.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: Kathy Lyons keeps the heat between Sam and Julie always at a simmer in true Blaze style which definitely makes this read one worth getting your hands on. From the very first encounter till the very last page, the constant hum of awareness and sexual zing between the two never ceases which makes this a great addition to the Harlequin Blaze line.

The turning point: Though both Sam and Julie vow before the start of their affair to keep things simple, they both connect on levels that has got nothing to do with the red hot attraction between them. As they join their bodies experiencing the best sex of their lives, so do other feelings come in to play making them both fall hopelessly in love in the process.

Ending: Though Sam tries to come clean about the part of him that is a multimillionaire, there just never seems to be a right time for the conversation and it is a betrayed Julie that walks out on Sam when she puts the pieces together to arrive at the ultimate conclusion. Of course this doesn’t mean that Julie and Sam do not get their happily ever after, but rather both of them face a small period of misery before giving into a relationship that was meant to be, right from the very beginning.

Likes:

  1. Absolutely adore the cover. Fuels some forbidden fantasies of my own when I look at the cover. *wicked grin*
  2. I just simply fell in love with Sam right from the very beginning. His whole character from the way he takes care of those who are more vulnerable than himself to the way he just simply loves and wants what is best for Julie makes him a very special and endearing sort of hero.
  3. Loved Julie and her naughty nature. It just fully complements the solitary nature of the reclusive genius that Sam is.
  4. And of course the elevator smexing!! There is so much of it that I don’t think I would look at an elevator the same way I did before I read this book! ^_^

Dislikes: None

Recommended for: Those who love Harlequin Blaze titles.

Favorite Quotes

Lifting her gaze a little higher, she saw his chiseled jaw, slightly darkened by five o’clock shadow. His eyes were at half mast as his nostrils flared. He was inhaling, his chest expanding as he clearly took in the scent of her. She’d started dabbing heavy amounts of sandalwood on her wrists ever since she’d noticed he took a deep breath whenever he was near her.
She didn’t speak. She couldn’t speak. He was lounging against the back panel watching her with a predatory expression. As if he’d been waiting for her. As if he’d known she was getting on the elevator right then and was daring her to step into his lair.

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

goodread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Short & Sweet Review: Breathe by Donna Alward

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Jace Willow
Heroine: Anna Morelli
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: November 2, 2010
Started On: November 5, 2010
Finished On: November 5, 2010

Though I have never tried any of Donna Alward’s books, I have had her title Sold to the Highest Bidder in my TBR pile for quite sometime now. And whilst I was browsing through Samhain Publisher’s website last month looking for new releases (not that I don’t have enough books to be read already), I found myself interested in this story and have been looking forward to its release since then. And I have got to say I am quietly impressed on all fronts with this story as it delivers what it promises and more with this quick page turner which I loved from the start to finish.

The Hero: Jace Willow, now owner of the Two Willows Winery grew up dirt poor with two parents who had always struggled to make ends meet and to provide for him the best they could. When Jace’s father is hired by the rich Italian Roberto Morelli to look after his stables, Jace lives vicariously through his children Alex and Anna Morelli who live a life of luxury that Jace can only dream about. Roberto had always made Jace feel that he would never be good enough and that resentment alone was enough for Jace to equal happiness with being successful and being able to provide for his family all the little as well as extravagant luxuries in life. Alex had been his best friend whilst Anna had been close as well but she had always meant something more to Jace until the summer that everything changes between them.

The Heroine: Anna Morelli had grown up feeling cossetted and stifled with expectations from her rigid and controlling father all her life. Anna’s mother had walked out on them when she had been quite young and it had been Alex who had being her savior back then. But when Jace had come along, Anna’s world had revolved around Jace and a friendship that was frowned upon by her father had bloomed into something much more the summer when Anna had barely turned 18. But when Jace leaves her to pursue his dreams of getting rich and making a name for himself, Anna does the one thing that she regrets more than anything else in her life. She ups and marries her father approved Stefano for whom she bears her two adorable children Matteo and Aurelia.

Storyline: When Stefano dies leaving Anna a widow with two children in his wake, the role of the grieving widow that she is forced to play when grief is the furthest thing from what she is feeling makes Anna run towards the one man she knows that she can count on. Jace is taken aback to find his beautiful Anna, the one woman whom Jace would lay down his life for at his winery with her two children looking for a place to regroup from all that had happened to Anna till now. Resentments that Jace had long since thought buried come to the surface making a situation fraught with tension that much harder to deal with making this story one of the most angst filled reads I have read of late – a fact which I loved.

The First Encounter: There is no mention of how or what happened when Anna and Jace had first met each other. But rather there are flashbacks and memories of a past that had built a strong and everlasting bond between two people who are definitely two halves of one soul.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in Canada.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: Though the sexual zing between Anna and Jace doesn’t take center stage in the story, nevertheless its subtlety makes the read one worth sinking into. With flashbacks into a time when the only thing that had mattered to both Jace and Anna had been each other, the awareness between Anna and Jace never ceases all throughout the story.

The turning point: Though at first Jace resents having his life intruded upon by the love of his life and her two children when Jace had been one who was adamant on the fact that he doesn’t want children, the move into his house and the close proximity between all of them proves to be Jace’s undoing. The deep hurt, resentment and anger that Jace had stored up all through the years reach its culmination and the healing process begins as a result of which Jace and Anna get a chance to make their love work, a second time round.

Ending: Jace and Anna get their happily ever after and a beautifully done epilogue had me satisfied on all ends by the time the story was through.

Likes: I loved all the characters within the story. Jace who had been hurt so bad when Anna had married another, who still opens up his door for the woman he loves more than anything in his life, who has a twisted vision of what is actually important in life was one of the best things about this story. Anna too drew me into her character, made me sympathize with what she had gone through and I loved her for the fact that she reaches out to Jace whose wounds are festering on the inside and had enough courage to face whatever it was that kept them from communicating truthfully with each other. And I just adored both Matteo and Aurelia who just invaded right into my heart right from the very first moment. The title is so very appropriate for the story such that there was so much emotion packed into it that I forgot to breathe at times or tended to hold my breathe in as two people who are definitely made for one another tried in their own ways to show the other that nothing means more to them than making the other happy.

Dislikes: None.

Recommended for: Those who love a romance that has so much emotion packed into it that you cannot help but hold your breathe in hoping against hope that the hero and heroine gets their happily ever after – and soon before you pass out!

Favorite Quotes

“Matteo, you’re in charge of helping your sister.” Jace issued the instruction while Anna stared in surprise. He handed them a plate with crackers, tiny pieces of cheese, and baby-sized pieces of proscuitto. He fixed a similar plate for Anna, only in adult proportions, and then one for himself.
It was simple. It was perfect.
A flurry behind them announced a family of loons taking off from the river. Matteo pointed at them with a finger and Aurelia’s mouth made an “O” in response. Jace looked at Anna and smiled.
And damn near broke her heart.

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

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Edge of Sight by Roxanne St. Claire

Format: E-bookedgeofsight
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Guardian Angelinos, Book 1
Publisher: Forever
Hero: Zaccaria Angelino (Zach)
Heroine: Samantha Fairchild (Sam)
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: November 1, 2010
Started On: November 1, 2010
Finished On: November 5, 2010

I can’t exactly pinpoint the reason why, but I struggled to get through my second book by Roxanne St. Claire. Having read the 1st book in the Bullet Catchers series Kill Me Twice sometime in November last year, I haven’t tried much to read through any other stories by Ms. St. Claire until I found out about the release of Edge of Sight on Twitter. As I read through the book blurbs and various raving reviews that were posted long before the release date I found myself thinking that this would be a book worth a shot. But somehow whatever that I expected from the story never seemed to materialize though in the end it wasn’t a bad story. So onto my review!

The Hero: When I first encountered Zaccaria Angelino (Zach) in the story, I found myself saying “Well, hello there Zaccaria”. Zach an ex-army ranger who enlisted soon after the 2001 attacks on US soil comes back home injured and half the man he had been before. Losing one eye and with a hideous scar running down his cheek, Zach has a tormented soul that I guess many readers would sympathize with. Zach and his twin sister Vivi Angelino are orphaned at a very tender age and had been moved to America to live with their American cousins. Zach had never tried to fit in, always angry at the fates for taking his beloved mother away who had doted on him in a way that only mothers can. The only place he had felt at home apart from when he had been serving the army had been in Sammi’s arms, the woman who Zach hurts so deeply whom he had left behind in the cold with no contact whatsoever for the past 3 years.

The Heroine: Samantha Fairchild (Sam) or Sammi as Zach calls her is 30 years old and on her way to Harvard Law School to attain her degree. Sam had just been 16 years old when she had witnessed some guy kill a clerk and it had been her testimony that had put the wrong man in jail until the actual killer had been caught in some unrelated crime and confessed. Sam had been a pretty much carefree career woman when her conscience had taken a deep hit by the error of her testimony which had deeply dented her self-confidence. Sam had dropped everything she was doing and had worked hard with a pro bono attorney to undo what she had caused and in turn opened up a case of negligence at the police department which had lost 2 cops their jobs. Sam’s deep friendship with Vivi Angelino takes a hit when her hot and heavy affair with Vivi’s twin brother ends up with Zach walking away from her and never looking back.

Storyline: Sam witnesses a murder in the wine cellar of the restaurant which she works at, ending up once again as the only one who saw a killer who so ruthlessly murders a man Sam has come to know as more than just a passing acquaintance. The one thing that does put her in the spotlight is the camera which captures her shock and horror as she witnessed the killing, the fact which puts a bunch of ruthless killers after her, all wanting to end her life. Not knowing where or whom to turn to as the police doesn’t really count her being a witness a highlight in their case, Sam contacts the only person who would be able to help her and runs smack-dab into Zach, the one person she has tried to forget unsuccessfully for the past 3 years of her life, who appears to be unaffected by the terror in her eyes, but inevitably ends up being her bodyguard albeit a bit reluctantly at first.

The First Encounter: Reading about Zach and Sam’s first encounter with one another brought a smile to my face. Sam had at that time being sharing an apartment with Vivi and Vivi had thrown a party to welcome her big bad ass army ranger brother. From the first moment, sparks had flown between the two and the heated kiss they share in the bathroom which ultimately leads to the hottest sex of both their lives for 3 short weeks through which the affair lasted was one of the best parts about the story.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in Boston, New York.

Awareness between the hero and heroine: Even when Zach tries to ignore his body’s wants and desires and though Sam knows better than to put herself in a position vulnerable enough to let Zach break her heart the second time around, the attraction and awareness between them is always a constant that refuses to just leave them no matter how much they both try to ignore the feelings and unresolved issues between them.

The turning point: When Sam runs into Zach whilst looking for Vivi at her apartment with sheer terror lurking in the depth of her indigo eyes, Zach tries to ignore the protective instincts that come into play. Furthermore, when Vivi comes up with her harebrained scheme of starting up a security firm of their own named The Guardian Angelinos, with Sam as their first customer and Zach acting as her bodyguard, Zach is reluctant to take the job as he doesn’t trust his abilities to keep anyone safe, much less the woman who is the center of his universe. But then the heart always wants what it wants, regardless of what you might try telling yourself otherwise, and the constant proximity between Zach and Sam proves to be Zach’s undoing in front of the woman he loves.

Ending: I have got to say that Ms. Claire took me totally unawares with her villain in the end. Before the end is through, the story unfolds revealing just how Sam had been manipulated to become an “unreliable” witness to a murder for a bunch of people who are ruthless enough to kill anyone who stands in their way of attaining what they want.

Likes: There were a few things that I liked about this book as the story unfolded. I liked Sam, which is sort of a first for me since I always come out saying I loved the hero in the story. I loved Sam because of her unwavering courage, how much she tries to put to right what she had wronged and her wonderful loving personality. I liked Vivi (oh boy, something surely has to be wrong since I am talking about all the female leads in the story). Her personality is quite the polar opposite to what I envisioned an investigative journalist like her would be. Vivi has a strong personality which draws a reader in and gets her own story in the 3rd book of the series, Face of Danger which is to come out on May 2011 which I am slightly interested in reading. I just had an inkling that she would be paired off with the FBI agent that was introduced into the story towards the end and I bet if Ms. Claire gets it right, Vivi’s story could be quite entertaining and explosive.

Dislikes: Umm.. let’s see, I guess the reason I didn’t take to this story as much as I hoped I would was because of the way Zach treats Sam at the beginning of the story. I can understand refusing to come out and say how you feel about the woman who scares the bejesus out of your most guarded emotions but walking out on her, never contacting her for 3 whole years and telling himself to keep away and only when he is damn ready to take her in his arms does Zach do it. I can understand a tortured hero but I also want the hero to be unable to keep his hands off the heroine in question regardless of all the crappy advice he might give himself or regardless of how honorable his intentions maybe. I guess what turned me off was the fact that the first detailed encounter between Zach and Sam in the story was sort of a solo act on Sam’s part which just didn’t sit that well with me. And for a man who left her hanging 3 years back without a word, Zach sure does expect a lot from Sam when he asks her to stop doubting him and second guessing him. Duh! As if Zach has given Sam any reason to really instill any sort of trust in him. All in all, I failed to connect with the version of tortured bad boy hero in this story which was what surprised me most in the end. One  more thing that disappointed me was the hints throughout the books to the hot and heavy affair that had taken place 3 years back, which never materialized for me from the 2 or 3 encounters between Sam and Zach in the book. Sigh!! I just don’t like disliking so many things about a book -_-‘.

Recommended for: Those who love books by Roxanne St. Claire.

Favorite Quotes

He counted the beats, listened to her breath, and waited until her body relaxed into sleep. When he was sure, he unlatched their hands and reached up to slide off his protective patch.
Finally, the moment of pure heaven. He laid his face against her hair and let the softness soothe his burning scar, the ecstasy of it almost making him want to cry out. It felt so good. So, so sweet and comforting and good.

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

favorableread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Doing Logan by Rhian Cahill

Format: E-bookdoinglogan
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Ellora’s Cave Quickies
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Logan Foster
Heroine: Meredith Wainright
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: November 4, 2010
Started On: November 4, 2010
Finished On: November 4, 2010

Ever since I read Singapore Fling by Rhian Cahill I have been a fan of her searingly hot short contemporaries. Since I follow Ms. Cahill on Twitter I found to my delight a couple of months back that she was just about finished with another novella, this time on my favorite theme where best of friends turn into lovers. And from the moment I read one of the sneak peeks she posted that had me practically drooling I was a goner for Logan. Believe me, today has been one of the most trying days of my life as a reader. As I told Ms. Cahill, never before have I *stalked* a book more than I did for this one. But I had loads of fun doing that so it was all very much worth it in the end. So onto a very quick review I go!

Logan Foster has always been a man of action, that is unless he comes into contact with his lifelong best friend and the woman who has owned his heart for the past 20 years or so, Meredith Wainright. Meredith’s mere presence is enough to spin Logan’s world out of control and Logan has always regretted the fact that he had been the one to introduce Meredith to her dick of an ex-husband Dirk Wainright who had spent whatever time they had been married together betraying her in all the ways possible. And when Dirk and his new wife Barbie (that was just sheer brilliance with the name there) insinuate that Meredith is still not over Dirk, Logan knows its time to let his feelings out in the open where Meredith is concerned and pursue her just like he does everything else he has ever wanted in his life.

Meredith has never been oblivious to the sheer magnetism that Logan exudes in spades. And from the moment Meredith’s life had gone haywire, her body had upped the stakes and started taking notice of Logan in ways she had never dreamed possible. Though what Meredith decides is to have a sexual fling with Logan to experience all those things she had never felt before, she doesn’t bargain on having the full force of Logan’s charm, sexual magnetism and most of all his love directed at her. And of course Meredith is no match to what Logan offers her in all those delicious ways which is the greatest thing about this short story.

There is no word other than explosive and or sheer dynamite to describe what happens when Logan and Meredith come together. They are so in tune with each others needs that it just takes only one look, a heated touch or a searing glance from the other to spin things out of control which I as  the reader just reveled in. I love it when an Erotica novel gives what it promises in spades, sensuality that is hot enough to make all your senses come alive and kudos to Ms. Cahill for delivering us readers with just that!

This book comes very highly recommended for fans of Erotica romances and those who always love a romance between best friends which results in the most heady and senses awakening love stories of all!

Be severely warned of the following before proceeding with the story though *wink wink*:

  1. The need to drink lots of water as things certainly heat up to unbearable (but oh-so bearable) levels.
  2. The continuous need to fan yourself with whatever you have at hand. Yes, I solemnly swear by this!
  3. And yes, the need for a cold shower as soon as you are done! Yes, Doing Logan kinda wreaks havoc on your senses – ALL in a good way!!

I don’t think my heart would return to its normal rhythm anytime soon! Damn you Logan!! Sigh!!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Ellora’s Cave | Diesel E-books

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry

Format: E-bookthebestlaidplans
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Super Romance
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Ethan Stone
Heroine: Alexander Knight
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: November 9, 2010
Started On: November 2, 2010
Finished On: November 3, 2010

Yes, Sarah Mayberry has done it yet once again, stringing all my emotions taut enough to form a permanent lump in my throat which refused to melt away until I read the beautifully done epilogue which was just sheer perfection. Reminds me why even though this title’s release date was said to be the 11th of this month, when I found out that the Kindle version was already available, I basically put everything else on hold and grabbed myself a copy – knowing that I would be safe in Ms. Mayberry’s hands. Sigh! And I can’t wait for her next book though I am still reeling from the remnants of emotions left over from this one.

The Hero: Ethan Stone or Pretty Boy as his brother Derek calls him is a man so scarred by the immense betrayal that his ex-wife Cassie had left him reeling in after she had walked out on 12 years of being together, 8 of which they had been married that Ethan has lost his faith in the concept of marriage and happily ever afters with anyone else. At the age of 42, Ethan is one of the youngest partners of Wallingsworth & Kent and a family lawyer that makes him a witness to the ugly side of people who have sworn to love till death do them apart, which makes him further wary of trying to start anything serious with a woman. Ethan’s younger brother Derek and his wife Kay together with their children Tim and Jamie is the closest to the family life that Ethan so badly craves even now during unguarded moments. Described as being tall, dark and handsome with a fallen angel’s face and dark blue eyes, Ethan sets many a female heart aflutter wherever he goes. His one vice is his love for good food and wine which is a constant source of amusement with his family, Ethan is a man who cooks to relieve stress – and oh boy, can he cook! Now why can’t we ever land someone like him! Sigh!!

The Heroine: Alexander Knight (Alex) or slow poke as Ethan calls her is also one of the youngest partners at Wallingsworth & Kent and one of the best corporate lawyers around. Being calm, cool and efficient with whatever Alex chooses to do has been her motto in all the hardships that her life had dealt her. Growing up never knowing her father, Alex had just been 12 years old when her mother Rachel Knight had had an accident fracturing her skull which had left her needing constant care and attention which had turned the tables around on the lone parent and child. But a determined Alex had seen it through and cared for her mother until her imminent death and then put herself through law school to land a partnership at one of the most prestigious law firms in Melbourne a mere seven years after graduation. With jaw length dark hair, wide mouth and eyes too large to be conventional Alex too has had her fair share of betrayal from Jacob, the man she had lived 7 years of her life with, hoping that his initial dislike at the matter of having kids together would fade away with time until the topic had come to be a matter of discontentment and anger between them until Jacob had left her life 18 months ago.

Storyline: It is when Alex runs into Jacob with a baby in his arms, the Jacob who had even refused to discuss the possibility of having a child with her that stuns Alex into thinking about the best years of her life wasted with a man who hadn’t really loved her enough to want to share everything with her. And when it hits too close to home that the family and children that she has so badly craved for all her life might not happen with her eggs dying up on her in a couple of years, Alex is driven to do what she always does – take charge of her life and turn it around and work for what she wants. When in a moment of weakness Alex confesses all of this to her partner and racquetball buddy and the star of her crush Ethan, everything starts to change. Knowing that meeting someone, dating them and finally being able to broach the subject of children and the possibility of having kids together would take more time from her than she has, Alex does the only thing left to do – contact a sperm bank and decides to become a single mother, a fact Ethan learns about which propels him to offer himself up as the sperm donor.

The First Encounter: There is no part in the story that mentions how and what happened when Ethan and Alex had first met, but rather describes the moment that Alex had first seen Ethan walking towards her with the senior partners at her law firm after being lured into working for Wallingsworth & Kent. Something deep inside her had fluttered at the mere sight of him and in her heart had called out “Hello heartbreaker”.

Time period: This story has a contemporary setting and takes place in Melbourne, Australia.

Awareness between hero and heroine: Though both Ethan and Alex acknowledge the fact that they both find the other attractive, neither Ethan nor Alex feels inclined enough to mess up the friendship between them by making things complicated by wanting more from the other. Ethan had instinctively known that Alex deserves much more than he is willing to offer and works hard to keep things on a platonic level between the two. And though Alex knows that Ethan is the most handsome and compelling man she has ever met, Alex is a woman who is far too practical to throw herself at a man who she feels she is better off being friends with.

The turning point: When Alex breaks down in front of Ethan and Ethan is witness to the deep yearning in her voice as Alex talks about the babies and the family that she so wants, something inside Ethan refuses to let him forget but rather taps into his long locked away desires for a family of his own. But marriage and relationships are not for Ethan and he proposes the next best thing, he would provide the sperm for his and Alex’s baby and take an active role in his child’s life and plans it in such a way that only two lawyers can. But the best laid plans as always have a way of backfiring on them in the best possible way in the end.

Ending: It wasn’t by any means a smooth road to happily ever after for these two. Though Alex acknowledges the fact that she has fallen completely in love with Ethan and Ethan confesses to falling for Alex as well, there are still obstacles between them, namely the deep emotional scars within Ethan that has to heal before he is able to make a full commitment to the one woman who means everything to him. I just loved the ending of this story. *sniffles*

Likes: One of the first things that drew this book to me (apart from it being a story by one of my favorite Harlequin authors of course) was the beautiful cover of this novel. The cover just touches something deep inside of me, which depicts a scene from the novel before things get complicated between Alex and Ethan. I just love the way Ethan is bending towards Alex as if to whisper sweet nothings in her ear (a gal can hope always *wink*). The next thing that drew me in was the depth of character development in this story. Ms. Mayberry always does a splendid job with her characters that draws you in right from the very beginning of the story. And she has once again proved to me why I just adore her books. I also loved the fact that the obstacles that both Ethan and Alex faced in attaining their happily ever after wasn’t solved with a quick rip of the band-aid off the wound that has been festering inside Ethan for years. Just loved Ethan from his head to foot and ahem all that in between. I just wanted to hug him and face his ex-wife with a sword of my own whilst I was at it! Yes, fiercely protective I am of my Ethan!

Dislikes: I was a bit disappointed with the lack of steam between Alex and Ethan in the 1st half of the book though it totally goes with their characters and the story that unfolded. But I just had a craving to see Ethan lose all control for Alex and just give me something to sigh and moon over in between!

Recommended for: Those who love Harlequin romances, Ms. Mayberry would never steer you wrong though if you are looking for hot and frequent lovin’ you aren’t going to find it in this one. Just enough emotion to punch you in the gut!

Favorite Quotes

Ethan found him in the kitchen, pouring himself a more conservative Scotch. He met his brother’s eyes and took a deep breath.
“I appreciate the concern but I’m fine,” he said.
Something warm and wet fell onto his hand. He looked down at it. It took him a moment to understand that he was crying. He put down his glass.
“Jesus,” Derek said, and then his brother’s arms were closing around him and he was being held tightly and couldn’t keep the rest of the tears from falling.
He fought them every step of the way until Derek gave him a shake.
“Cry you big dickhead. It won’t kill you.”

When is the next title from Ms. Mayberry going to be out? I so want it, like now?

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

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Short & Sweet Review: Mackenzie’s Mission by Linda Howard

Format: E-bookmackenziesmission
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: The Mackenzies, Book 2
Publisher: Silhouette
Hero: Colonel Joe Mackenzie
Heroine: Caroline Evans
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: August 1, 1992
Started On: October 31, 2010
Finished On: October 31, 2010

I have decided to go ahead and treat myself to the rest of the books on Linda Howard’s backlist which I have left unread for some reason or the other during the Linda Howard crazed fest which I found myself in the first time that I discovered Linda Howard as an author. I remember that I started to read this title after completely falling in love with the 1st book in the series, Mackenzie’s Mountain the first time round. I don’t know why but at that time I couldn’t muster up much interest in the story that unfolded, which now after finishing this story has left me completely dumbfounded as to the reason why I couldn’t continue with the story earlier. Oh well, better late than never I guess!

The Hero: Joe Mackenzie or “Breed” as he is called by his fellow co-workers has always known that he belonged in the sky. Joe had become a legend even before he had graduated from the academy and being the first in his graduating class, Joe had chosen to proceed with fighter jets though his six foot three frame is considered not the ideal height for fighter jet pilots. Like everything else, Joe excels in his chosen field through hard work and his god given talent and at the age of 32 Joe is made lieutenant colonel. When Joe had been young, his father Wolf Mackenzie had served time for a crime that he did not commit, and being a half-breed Joe had suffered a lot at the hands of one of the foster families that had taken him in. Joe thrives on his iron hard control both in and out of the sky and only lets go when he is back at home in Wyoming at his father’s ranch.

The Heroine: Caroline Evans is a 28 year old genius, a bona fide specialist in light amplification and optic targeting together with a PHD in Physics. Caroline had led an unusual childhood being the genius she is. Thirsting for knowledge that leaves her unsatisfied if she cannot get enough, her parents who are both PHD holders themselves had identified Caroline’s gift and nurtured it by providing her the best education possible. That had meant that Caroline had always felt out of place because she had rapidly advanced through the grades to find herself armed with her PHD by the time she turned 21 years old. Having no knowledge whatsoever of men, dating or the etiquette that goes along with the dating scene, Caroline has remained a virgin till now and knows that her best defense against men who come on to her strongly is to act prickly and totally cut them off before anything can happen. And it serves her well, that is until she meets Joe Mackenzie who shatters her very soul just by one piercing look from his light blue eyes.

Storyline: Joe has been assigned the task of ironing out the kinks in a new second generation advanced tactical fighter code named Night Wing which Joe calls as his baby. As the program manager it is Joe’s responsibility to work within the given time frame to push his baby to its limits and to take care of any tactical errors before it could go into full production. When one of the technician’s on Joe’s team suffers a minor heart attack, Caroline is brought in who manages to get under Joe’s skin right from the very beginning. And together with Caroline’s appearance starts a series of attempts to prevent Night Wing from making its deadline to production which needs the vote from the senate to acquire the funding required for its production. Joe who has always put his country first finds himself torn between the woman who sets his senses afire and his sense of duty to his country when all fingers point at Caroline to be the saboteur.

First Encounter: Joe walks in on Caroline whilst she is at the office getting acquainted with her assignment on the day of her arrival to the base. Joe who always walks silently, not because he wants to sneak up on people but because he had been taught that way to walk from the very beginning finds himself face to face with 100% infuriated woman because Joe had scared the wits out of her by letting his presence be known.

Time period: Story has a contemporary setting and takes place at the Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

Awareness between the hero and the heroine: I don’t know how she does it, but Linda Howard always delivers on the simmering and sizzling sexuality between her heroes and heroines. Joe and Caroline are no exception to that rule and from the very first moment these two meet, its a battle of sensual delights that meets its heady culmination delivering everything that I as a reader craved for and more.

The turning point: It won’t be an exaggeration to say that Caroline is more than wary of the intense feelings that Joe so effortlessly invokes in her. Having never tasted the headiness of mind blowing passion or lust, Caroline is helplessly ensnared by the sensuality that is an inherent part of who Joe is. When Joe realizes that Caroline’s skittishness is a result of her naivete when it comes to the opposite sex, Joe offers a wicked plan to thwart all the unwanted attention from the other pilots who seem too keen to move in for the kill. Joe would stake his claim on Caroline so that she could work in peace a condition to which Caroline agrees which irrevocably changes life as Caroline knows it in the arms of her fighter pilot.

Ending: Before the story is through, Joe makes the ultimate mistake of doubting Caroline, a betrayal that leaves Caroline reeling from it. Caroline long since having admitted to herself that she has fallen irrevocably in love with Joe feels doubly betrayed by the fact that the man in whose arms she had found joy unlike anything else she has known before can stare at her so coldly and think the worst thing possible of her. Before the ending is through, the actual saboteurs nearly succeed in eliminating Joe and Caroline as potential witnesses to their activities, the series of events which makes Joe take into account his feelings for Caroline.

Likes: Joe Mackenzie from his delectable head to foot. I felt tingles running up and down my spine every single time he seduced Caroline and he seduced me right along with her – Darn the man! I liked the fact that Caroline doesn’t let Joe walk all over her in his attempt to fulfill the role of being the alpha male that he is. And loved revisiting Wolf Mackenzie’s mountain once again, a story that still brings a warm smile to my face.

Dislikes: None.

Recommended for: Fans of Linda Howard, fans of romance stories with a little bit of suspense in the mix.

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

fantasticread