by mvbookreviewer

Review: Seduce Me At Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Series: The Hathaways, Book 2
Hero: Kev Merripen
Heroine: Winnifred Hathaway
First Published on: September 30, 2008
Started On: August 16, 2009
Finished On: August 16, 2009

I sort of hit a reading frenzy and addiction for another Lisa Kleypas novel that needed a quick fix. Since I had ordered a couple of her books from Barnes & Noble a few months ago, I found myself with this heart touching novel from her that I couldn’t put down until I had read each and every bit of Kev and Win’s story.

Kev Merripen is half gypsy, half Irish, who as a kid led a  brutal life, where he had to fight, and I mean literally fight for survival. His uncle who was his guardian, made him fight with kids his own age to earn money. Never knowing any love while growing up, Kev was found by Win’s father lying on the road with serious injuries left to die. Thus begins this heart wrenching tale of two people who from the very start had eyes literally for one another only.

Win’s family being a pretty eccentric family with 5 siblings who weren’t materiallistically rich by any means, was the first time that Kev experienced life with a family that wanted him and cared for him. Even from the beginning a special bond forms between Win and Kev. Tragedy strucks Win’s happy family when her father dies of a heart attack followed closely by the death of their mother who just gave up  the will to live after her husband died. The story doesn’t just focus on Win and Kev, but rather on tids and bits of Win’s whole family mainly Amelia and her husband Cam (who later turns out to be Kev’s younger brother), Leo (whose girl friend dies after succumbing to scarlet fever), Beartix and Poppy. (I would really love to read their individual stories as I am sure it would make an engrossing read!)

Win too gets the scarlet fever and later develops a condition of the lungs that hinders her from participating in any strenous physical activity. Determined to get better in order to be a proper wife to Kev (even though he would rather die than admit he wanted Win to be his wife because he felt so unworthy of her), Win journeys to France with her brother Leo and returns back after two years with her doctor (Dr. Harrow) in tow.

Thus begins the battle between Win and Kev. Win who tries to convince Kev that he is the only one that she has ever wanted, and Kev trying to convince Win that she deserved much better than what he had to offer. Kev makes for a strong, brooding and enigmatic hero that any heroine would swoon over. I feel that Kleypas did justice with the heroine as well. She is beautiful and strong and makes a worthy opponent in the battle to let Kev find that he really did belong with Win no matter what.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

goodread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Stranger in My Arms by Lisa Kleypas

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Hero: Hunter Hawksworth
Heroine: Lara Hawksworth
First Published on: July 1, 1998
Started On: July 2009
Finished On: August 16, 2009

Historical romances aren’t my favorite kind of romance. The elaborate descriptions of the amount of clothing a ‘lady’ has to put on to feel suffocated (enough to make the reader stop reading and come up for air) and the so called ‘ton’ which every historical author raves about in their books just doesn’t do it for me most of the times. However, as there are exceptions to every rule man-made or otherwise, I do enjoy historical romances by certain authors such as Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood and Lisa Kleypas.

Stranger in my arms starts off when Lara Hawksworth gets the news that her husband who was believed to  have been killed on a shipwreck almost a year ago was back from the dead. Unable to believe that her husband (Hunter), with whom she had never enjoyed being married to is back, but duty bound to check out whether the news could be true finds Lara with a man who has an uncanny resemblance to Hunter. But this version of her husband seems to be kinder, more attentive, more loving and oh so deliciously sensual that Lara cannot truly believe that this man could be her husband. However, slowly ‘Hunter’ seduces his ‘miss goody-two-shoes’ wife which seduces the reader along on this wicked ride. In the end, this new ‘Hunter’ turns out to be the half-brother of the actual Hunter Hawksworth, whom Lara finally saves from being sent to the gallows for deceiving the entire family about his identity.

I loved reading every bit about this new Hunter. He was deliciously sinful, the kind of hero that you can really dream about (yeah that’s the whole reason why we ladies tend to read romance  novels). I sometimes found myself irritated with Lara though for being such a goody-two-shoes at times that she just tended to get on my nerves during the first half of the novel.

I recommend this for all Lisa Kleypas book lovers.

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

greatread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Deadline by Simon Kernick

Format: Paperbackdeadlinesk.jpg
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Publisher: Corgi Adult
Hero: Mike Bolt
Heroine: Andrea Devern
Published On: August 26, 2008
Started On: August 7, 2009
Finished On: August 8, 2009

“Time only matters when its running out” rings true for this novel that takes the reader on a relentless ride. The story begins when successful businesswoman Andrea Devern returns home from work one evening to get a phone call on her mobile that gives the worst possible news a mother could ever hear. Her fourteen year old daughter has been kidnapped and half a million pounds in cash has to be paid up in order  to get her daughter back.

Together with her daughter, her husband Pet Phelan who isfive years younger than her in debt to loan sharks for gambling heavily and living  the high life off Andrea’s wealth, disappears together with Emma as well. Not knowing whether Pet was involved with the kidnapping, Andrea turns towards an old ‘romantic’ acquaintance from the past Jimmy Galante an individual with a violent past involved in armed robberies and murder who meets an untimely horrific demise upon trying to help Andrea with the drop off of the money.

Involvement of Jimmy angers the kidnappers and they demand for another half a million pounds before they would give Emma up. Shocked and horrified after seeing what the kidnappers had done to Jimmy, Andrea is stopped over by cops on the road and taken in for questioning after finding blood on her clothes left over from when she hugged Jimmy’s bloody corpse.

Then comes in Mike Bolt SG3 of SOCA, Serious and Organized Crime Agency who too has been involved clandestinely with Andrea in the past. Thus starts the race against time (less than 48 hours) to execute a plan to rescue Emma who could be Bolt’s daughter according to Andrea. Mike puts his career on the line for his might-be daughter in a dangerous chase to find who the kidnappers are and bring Emma back home before time runs out and Emma too could meet a horrific death at the kidnapper’s hands.

The story based on life in UK, is pretty interesting considering that most novels  that I tend to read are mostly from American authors. This is an author I am definitely going to add to my Favourite Author’s List.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Abe Books

goodread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Raising Atlantis by Thomas Greanias

Format: E-bookraisingatlantis.jpg
Read with: Adobe Reader
Length: Novel
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Conrad Yeats Adventure, Book 1
Publisher: Pocket Star
Hero: Dr. Conrad Yeats
Heroine: Serena
Published On: July 26, 2005
Started On: August 1, 2009
Finished On: August 6, 2009

This science fiction novel is breathtaking. Mingled together with actual factual details this novel takes the reader on a wild ride that they aren’t likely to forget. The hero Dr. Conrad Yates and the heroine ex-nun Serena have prior history between them that makes things a bit more interesting.

The concept that Atlantis the lost city lies beneath the multitudes of ice in Antarctica makes for a frightening as well as exciting one. The discovery of this lost city and how the tables are turned once a selfish action by Dr. Yates renders all the ice in Atlantis to melt and the sea levels to rise. Our beloved Maldives is mentioned in this novel and once the ice starts to melt, the capital Male’ is conceived to be half under water. The magnitude of what happens is frightening but the exhilarating journey that takes place in order to right what has been done wrong is worth the read.

The description of the lost city makes me yearn from a kick ass movie that could depict everything that the author has very well described.

Can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in line The Atlantis Prophecy.

Purchase Links: Amazon

greatread

 

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Where Rainbows End By Cecelia Ahern

Format: Paperback
Opens with: NA
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Series: Standalone
Hero: Alex
Heroine: Rosie
Published On: November 2004
Read on: July 25, 2009

This book from the author of P.S. I love you is a sweet read that clutches at your heart. Totally different from other styles of writing, this story is told in the forms of correspondences that take place between the main characters in the story.

Rosie and Alex are childhood friends who grow up together till Alex has to move away due to his father getting a better job offer in US. However, Rosie’s and Alex’s friendship does not grow weaker, instead they seem to develop feelings for each other which does not reach a fruitful conclusion till the very end of the novel by which time Alex and Rosie are in their 50’s and a whole lifetime has passed without them being together.

Rosie survives a teenage pregnancy, brings her daughter up all by herself, gets married and gets cheated on by her husband who cheats her out of the chance of finding out that Alex too did have feelings for her. Alex too survives two marriages and two kids before they both find each other.

Notes scribbled in class, SMS text messages, emails, letters and postcards make up this whole novel. I would recommend this for all true romance lovers out there!

Purchase Links: Amazon | AbeBooks

outstandingread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Heat of the Storm By Elle Kennedy

Format: E-bookheat
Read with: MS Reader
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Series: Out of Uniform, Book 3
Hero: Lieutenant Will Charleston
Heroine: Mackenzie Wade
Published On: July 2009
Read on: July 29, 2009

Will and Mac have been best friends since they were 15 years old with Will having the hots for Mac since they met. While Will stays in top shape (has a body to die for!!) and puts his life in danger being a SEAL, Mac is a psychic who has had a sad turn in every relationship that she has been in. The latest breakup finally propels her into Will’s arms.

This story been refreshingly different, does not portray the guy to be tortured and cynical, but rather Mac who has issues with trusting men to accept her with her psychic abilities.

The sex is scorching and insanely HOT. The storyline good enough for such a short novel. Its interesting how for once, an author has attempted to write a novel where the guy goes for what he wants from the beginning of the story rather than the heroine who always takes whatever shit the hero has in store for her (not that I don’t enjoy those types of novels).

It takes much more than scorching sex to convince Mac that Will is the one for her. It was funny reading about how Will’s friend’s fiance helps him along in making Mac jealous after Mac tries to ignore the fact that they both had the best sex of their lives when the story begins.

If you want a read hot read with a satisfying ending, I would recommend it for you. This author is one I would keep my eye on from now on. 

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

goodread