by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: A Lesson in Temptation by Audra North

Format: E-bookalessonintemptation
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Stanton Family
Publisher: Entangled: Edge
Hero: Adam Harkness
Heroine: Julie Stanton
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: July 14, 2014
Started On: July 11, 2014
Finished On: July 11, 2014

A Lesson in Temptation is my first Audra North and I have a feeling its not going to be my last. This woman can write the heck out of a novella, delivering an emotional and scorching read that is so very worth your time. It’s not the cover alone that is out of this world sexy when it comes to A Lesson in Temptation, what lies inside is mind numbingly so!

A Lesson in Temptation is part of the Stanton Family series. With two full length novels and one novella already published in the series, A Lesson in Temptation reads just fine as a standalone and tells the story of Julie Stanton and Adam Harkness. Adam is highly ambitious, studious and doesn’t have time for distractions like falling in love. Having led a life that had been nearly at the edge of being poverty stricken had made Adam a stickler for hard work and even with a PhD under his belt with an impressive position as a Professor at the Colombia University, Adam still feels the need to push himself to achieve more.

When a friend offers a place at a dance class “Tango for Beginners” as a gift, Adam shows up more out of respect for the friend than anything else. He has no plans whatsoever of returning for a second class. But the moment he walks in and lays eyes on Julie, his intentions seems to crawl out the nearest window. Julie had been the one time he had nearly succumbed to temptation and the one who had got away of sorts.

For Julie, seeing “Adam Hotness” walk into the classroom had made her realize that when it comes to Adam, the attraction that had sizzled through her is very much alive even three years after. The Adam that takes her in his arms looks even more tense and distant than he had been back then and it makes Julie practically itch to make him loosen up just a little. What follows as a reluctant Adam finally gives in is as delicious as the glossy cover itself!

What made A Lesson in Temptation stand out is the fact that Audra managed to deliver an emotionally well rounded story in just a mere 100 plus pages. Adam’s ambitions, his fears and struggles comes out perfectly making him a mix of delicious contradictions; the studious and serious side of him that wars with the sexy, sinful and playful side. His ambition to overachieve is such that it blinds him to the best thing that happens to his life and this fact gave the story that bit of angst that made the novella that much more endearing.

Julie comes off as this bright and sunny personality when compared to Adam and the fact that Adam totally misreads Julie’s character gave a few surprises about Julie to the reader as well. Julie’s philosophy in life is simple.. Try and be happy as much as possible. And given her past, I admired Julie quite much on the point of her being able to move beyond all that and simply just have a positive attitude towards life.

If you want a short read that would give you an emotionally satisfying story with a hotter than sin hero whose reluctant attraction to the heroine makes things that much more fiery, then this is the read for you!

Most definitely recommended!

Final Verdict: Brims with high octane sexual tension that puts you on the edge!

Favorite Quotes

He pushed again, just another inch, and this time she moaned, “Ohhhh, Adam.”
Fuck, yeah. The sound of his name, just like that. Another push. This thrust was harder, and a couple more inches slipped inside. She groaned and bucked, and he massaged her body, working her open by degrees. She writhed beneath him all the while, squeezing and pulsing around him until, after what seemed like an eternity, the base of his cock met the tight ring of her entrance, and both of them let out heavy sounds of satisfaction. They were both breathing hard, and his forehead was damp with perspiration.
He couldn’t imagine anything better.

She increased her pace, pushing her hips forward against him each time, and he opened those gorgeous, glinting blue eyes to look into hers before pulling her forward for a kiss, just as he bucked up into her. On a gasp, she began to move even faster on him, his body pushing up into hers each time, hitting her in just the right spot, until she was so close that she was grabbing at his hair, his back, trying to take hold of her climax and drive it home.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Something to Talk About by Dakota Cassidy

Format: E-booksomethingtotalkaboutdc.png
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Plum Orchard, #2
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Hero: Jackson Hawthorne
Heroine: Emmaline Amos
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: May 27, 2014
Started On: July 4, 2014
Finished On: July 8, 2014

Something to Talk About by Dakota Cassidy is my very first read from the author. Book number 2 in the Plum Orchards series invited me from the very first page to enter into the world of Emmaline Amos (Em) and make myself right at home. Dakota’s easy style of writing and the spark that practically set the pages afire made this a book worth sinking myself into.

36 year old single mother Em  is almost bursting at the seams to break out of the conservative shell that she has been placed in by everyone that knows her. Working as the manager of a phone sex company itself is a big achievement for someone whose ex-husband had called her prissy and boring, the emotional scars of which still taunts her even a year after the divorce. Her group of friends and her two young boys are what keeps her going. And even though Em craves for sultry nights with a man who can set her whole body on fire, the only thing that she has plans on setting fire to is just her imagination. That is until Jackson Hawthorne (Jax) walks into her life.

Em and Jax meet under interesting circumstances; when Jax’s sweet little daughter calls Call Girls Inc. looking for a girlfriend for her beloved daddy. Things take a mirthful turn when Jax misunderstands the situation and Em stares in the face of the man with whom she had shared an electrifying moment with a while back. Though Em might not like it or want it, Jax sets her engines revving unlike any man she has ever been with (not that she has been with anyone except for her ex-husband) and from the moment these two lip-lock, sparks that rivals that of the 4th of July lights up the story!

Jax and Em both have emotional scars that they would equally like to forget and move on from. And entanglement and putting their emotional lives in jeopardy is hardly what either of them wants. Thus Em proposes the easiest and least messy solution. They’d be sex partners, nothing more nothing less. No emotional entanglements for them. No sirree! But then we all know how life can throw the curveballs that shows you that all your grand planning is for naught. And love? Oh the sneaky emotion called love definitely loves to play when a man as sweet, manly and oh so sexy comes calling and can set your body humming like it has never ever before!

I loved Something to Talk About pretty much. There was so much goodness, emotional and otherwise in the story that you can’t help but fall a little bit more in love as you turn one page to the next. Jax Hawthorne, the man himself is reason enough for a girl to abandon everything and indulge in the story. From his name to his body to his personality, everything screams sexy and capable. And the way Jax takes care of his little girl? Well, that ought to charm you right out of your socks if nothing else.

Em herself turned out to be a pretty swell character. Her emotional scars are so real, the emotional punch that Dakota delivers along with it is enough to make you suck your breathe in and just ride out the roller coaster of a ride. I’d say that the insecurities that both Jax and Em have, individually and together is what touched me the most about the story. And Em coming out of her shell and facing her demons, well, that was just the icing on the cake that made this story a winner! Recommended.

Final Verdict: Hot, rugged and beautifully Southern. May Jax Hawthorne live hard & long!

Favorite Quotes

Fingers, long and thick, glided over her skin, teasing, pushing, easing away, kneading. Over and over until he skimmed the outline of her panties where her hip met thigh.
Em tensed, mewled a small sound she’d never heard come from her mouth before, but Jax muffled it with his lips.
Mercy, his mouth. Soft and hard in the same breath. Commanding, domineering, gentle with just a hint of the taste of the beer he’d had at dinner. More adjectives than her mind could parse—or even cared to.

Jax pulled her to him, wrapping a hand around her waist, and kissed her hard with delicious force.
He wasn’t asking permission, either. He was demanding she kiss him, angling his mouth over hers, coaxing her lips to his will with a tongue that tasted like peppermint and sex.

His kiss got hotter, more urgent, until her back was to his office wall, his rigid thighs straining against hers. Her nipples tightened, achy, needy, crushed against his broad chest, leaving an imprint of Jax all over her. One she wanted to roll around in, inhale, devour.

“Hold on to me,” was all he could manage from his tightly clenched jaw with the tip of his cock so close to all that heat.
Em did as instructed, putting her arms around his neck, still looking him square in the eye. But she wasn’t asking questions now. Now she had the same look in her eyes he imagined he had in his—like they were going into battle and the first one to come won.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | ARe | HQ | BookDepo

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom by Vanessa Kelly

Format: E-bookconfessionsofaroyalbridegroom
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: The Renegade Royals, #2
Publisher: Zebra Books
Hero: Griffin Steele
Heroine: Justine Brightmore
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: April 1, 2014
Started On: July 2, 2014
Finished On: July 3, 2014

If you have read the first book in The Renegade Royals series, you’d have met the utterly mysterious and alluring Griffin Steele whom your heart would have clamored for even then. Good thing that Vanessa Kelly delivered on his story with the second installment in the series because Griffin is a hero definitely worth drooling over and then some.

Griffin Steele is a man who made a name for himself practically out of nothing. The bastard son of a Prince who till today remains unacknowledged by his father, Griffin bears the emotional scars of being abandoned as a child, though he would rather carve out a piece of himself than admit to the fact. Griffin is in the midst of tying up all loose ends that ties him down, planning on leaving England in search of what his soul craves, a sense of completion that he desires but is unable to voice out for. And then turns up a baby accompanied with a mysterious note and a signet ring on his doorstep which throws all his best laid plans awry, leaving Griffin scrambling to make sense of the total chaos that his life becomes from that point onwards.

24 year old Justine Brightmore craves peace and solitude above everything else. Having had enough dramatics in her life to last her a lifetime. The only thing that propels Justine to leave the comfort of the life that she has carved out for herself is being summoned by her godfather Dominic Hunter. Dominic thrusts Justine into the house of one of the most notorious men in London, a man equally loathed and revered amongst society though anyone would hardly go on to acknowledge the likes of someone like Griffin.

From the moment Griffin and Justine lay eyes on each other, it is dislike at first sight with a healthy dose of awareness for everything to do with each other. Griffin though he loathes the position of playing guardian to Justine is helpless in his need to know everything about the woman who drives him crazy with her stubbornness and attitude. Justine might want to bury her head in the sand where Griffin and the feelings that he rouses in her are concerned, but even her stoic determination is no match for the gravitational pull that Griffin has on her senses.

When a turn of events puts Justine’s honor in a precarious position, there is nothing left to do but tie the knot, something Justine views akin to a noose around her neck. However, as both Justine and Griffin learn more about one another, Griffin providing details of his past with sheer reluctance, both of them find that where their emotions are concerned, the aloofness that each had strived for at the begining is no longer even a possibility.

Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom started on a high note with the delicious Griffin taking your very breathe away. The fascinating tattoo that coils over the left side of his upper torso alone was enough to increase the hyperventilating factor when it came to him. His sardonic wit was another reason to go crazy over his character, not to mention the deep well of tenderness that lives inside of a man rumored to be one of the most ruthless and notorious in the city.

Though I liked Justine just fine, I couldn’t find it in myself to fall for her the way I did with Griffin. For one thing, I found her focus on the mysterious baby to be a tad too much, or perhaps the focus of the story as it progressed was on the baby more than the burgeoning relationship between Griffin and Justine. Perhaps it was the balance between the mystery, romance and sensuality that I craved which somehow seemed to be at odds with one another which brought down the rating where I was concerned.

However, that doesn’t mean that this story isn’t an enjoyable one, far from that. Even with that misgiving inside of me, the fact that I was drawn into the tale and enjoyed the back and forth between Griffin and Justine and of course their happily ever after tells the tale of romance that was enjoyed from start to finish. Worthy of a mention are the two scenes of passion in the story, highly sensual that took my breathe away.

Recommended for fans of the series and fans of alluring heroes who seduce you rather effortlessly from page 1!

Final Verdict: Sizzle, mystery and a bit of mayhem gives an enjoyable read!

Favorite Quotes

“You couldn’t possibly want to marry me,” she whispered, even as something overpowering, something more real than anything she had ever felt in her life, stretched up and loomed over her, blotting out the light from the lamps and the roaring fire in the grate. She could see nothing but Griffin.
To her astonishment, a gleam of amusement sparked to life in his gaze.
“Oh, I don’t know,” he said in a musing tone. “Any woman who, by her own admission, is capable of shooting a man in cold blood is likely the perfect wife for me.”

Never had she felt such delicious warmth, or imagined that a kiss could cast such a transfixing spell over her body. Though her mind reeled in astonishment, she wanted to stand there forever, greedily drawing in his heat and strength. Drawing in the heady taste of him—something wild and masculine and utterly tempting.

“Why do you even care?” she whispered.
His eyes half closed and he leaned toward her, as if trying to capture some elusive scent. “For some reason I’m unable to fathom, I want to know everything about you. I want to know what your favorite toy was when you were a child, what was your most treasured possession. Who comforted you when you cried, or if you ever climbed a tree. I want to know what you like to eat and what makes you curl up your sweet little nose. I want to know when you first wished to kiss a boy. I especially want to know about that,” he finished with a wicked purr.

Unable to stop herself, Justine moved against him, spreading her legs even wider and rubbing against his thick erection. Sensation rose up through her in a heady spiral, every rational thought in her head blasted away by the sensual storm he evoked in her as he suckled and played with her breasts. They felt full and aching. Indeed, her entire body ached with a need only he could fulfill.

He groaned and dipped his head, his long hair coming loose from its leather tie, his chest rising and falling with quick breaths. She pulled the strip of material from his hair and flung it away, then tunneled her fingers through his thick, long locks, smoothing them down over his back. Justine felt like she was drowning in a world of sensation and emotion, and she willingly went under.
“My God, Justine,” he gasped before planting a searing kiss on her mouth.

Purchase Links: Amazon | BookDepo | B&N | Kobo | ARe | iTunes

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: The Deepest Ocean by Marian Perera

Format: E-bookthedeepestocean
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series: Eden, #2
Publisher: Samhain Publishers
Hero: Darok Juell
Heroine: Yerena Fin Caller
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: April 1, 2014
Started On: May 19, 2014
Finished On: July 2, 2014

The Deepest Ocean by Marian Perera is the second book in her Eden series, and what a book this turned out to be. For someone like myself who doesn’t read much of fantasy novels, to be drawn into the world that Marian creates tells a story in itself. I am quite selective in the authors that I read when it comes to fantasy romances, perhaps because my imagination falls short of what the author is actually trying to convey with the worlds they create. But with Marian’s illustrious words, lets just say that there was a moment or two where I questioned myself on why I do not read more of the genre.

Darok Juell is the captain of the warship Daystrider who is instructed by the Commander of the Guardian Fleet of Denalay to take on board a woman whose identity remains a secret even to him until Yerena Fin Caller turns up at his ship right before it is supposed to depart. Darok finds himself fascinated by the Seawatch operative who informs him that her only duty is to guide and guard the ship in its journey. The tattoo that completely surrounds Yerena’s left eye tells a story in itself, a direct contrast to her otherwise nondescript nature and appearance.

Yerena is considered a weapon of Denalay, one of the countless men and women trained to serve the Unity the whole of their lives. Reared from a very tender age to become the weapon she is, Yerena commands a great white shark that is the closest to anything the she considers as hers. Her “unconventional” bond to the shark had gotten her many a thrashing, the result of which is the cold, aloof and controlled operative that is presented to the rest of the world.

The mission ahead is a perilous one, the impulsive and at times brash Darok paired with a Seawatch operative that is the furthest thing from brainish. Darok enlists Yerena’s help in crossing the Strait of Mists into the Iron Ocean in order to outrun the Turean pirate ships whose one sole mission is to destroy the Daystrider before it reaches shore. Yerena hides one aspect of her mission from Darok even though he makes Yerena question all the rules by which she has lived her entire life. Darok entices Yerena into giving herself into his caresses, kisses and  touches powerful enough to move her into giving him everything she has to give. And in the midst of it all rages a battle of megaly proportions that seems to challenge the combined experience and talent of Yerena and Darok, delivering a tale that stays with you long after you are done.

Having read Marian’s first book, I was surprised and delighted with the thread of sensuality that is interwoven into the fabric of the story. Yerena being seduced by Darok and the tables being turned added that sensual edge to the story which truly made The Deepest Ocean stand out when compared to Before the Storm, the first book in the series. With a few surprises up her sleeve, Marian definitely keeps the reader guessing, the pages turning and most of all the action almost going on nonstop in this tale that totally blew me away! Definitely and most highly recommended for lovers of the fantasy genre.

Final Verdict: Epic storytelling from start to finish. Marian is a voice not to be missed in this genre!

Favorite Quotes

For a moment she said nothing, but then her lips twitched. “No one’s compared me to a crab before.”
Darok grinned. “If it helps, I think you’re a lot prettier than most crabs.”
She laughed, and Darok drew his breath in. He hadn’t known until then how the warmth and lightness of laughter could change her face. The reflections of fire danced in her eyes, and the relaxation of her usual control made her mouth so different, lovely and sensually shaped. He only realized he had stepped forward when her lips parted in surprise, and he only knew he was holding her when he felt the softness of clean linen and the taut muscles of her arm beneath his hand. But he knew exactly what he was doing when he bent his head and covered her half-opened mouth with his own.

Darok’s senses were swimming when he lifted his head with an effort and looked down at her face. Her lips were full and moist, still open as she caught her breath, and he hardened at the sight. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her against him and bent to kiss the pulse pounding in her throat.
“Darok—” The word was a gasp, and he wanted to hear it again, wanted to hear it as he drove into her. He bit her throat just hard enough to wring a moan from her, then gently licked the mark he had made and blew on it. Yerena’s body swayed, her knees buckling, and Darok pushed her up against the wall as he lifted his head to kiss her again.

“Yerena.”
His voice was low and deep, turning the consonants of her name into a purr, and it was the only warning she had before his arm went around her waist, pulling her against him. His fingers were splayed against her hip, but his other hand cupped her face, lifting it. Yerena felt the warmth of his breath on her lips and held on to him for support as her eyes closed involuntarily.

She licked the pad of her thumb and rubbed his nipple. His eyes opened at once, and her smile was no longer secret as she reached down. She wrapped her hand around the throbbing length of his shaft, and he groaned.
“This is how much I want you,” she said, and rose up on her knees just enough to guide him into her.
The first touch of iron heat against the wet folds of her sex made her jolt as if the ship had struck a sandbank, but she recovered and began to impale herself slowly. She wanted him in her, wanted them joined so deeply that nothing would be able to tear them apart…at least for that night.

Darok released her and reached for her braid, which had fallen over her shoulder. The ribbon tying the end came off, and he drew his fingers through the mass of her hair, letting it fan over her shoulders and fall across her breasts.
“You’re beautiful, Yerena.” His voice was hoarse. “And wet.” He claimed her other breast, fondling it with his palm before his thumb rubbed the nipple. “I’ll make you wetter.”
That time she didn’t gasp when he pulled her forward, when he sucked on her. She groaned instead, and Darok made a rougher, lower sound that vibrated up from his throat into her skin.

“Darok!” Her voice was a raw whisper, shaking. “Now, please, now—”
He entered her with his tongue that time, as deep as he could, and her flesh tightened around him. She made no sound other than a wrenching sob that was nowhere near enough for him. He pulled away and rose as the hazel eyes were opening in disbelief, and when her legs closed around him to pull him back, he went with her and sank hilt-deep into hot convulsing flesh.

He bent his head and covered her mouth with his in a kiss so thirsty and possessive that it made her sway against him, trembling with need as her body caught fire from his. Her free hand clenched in his shirt. His tongue slid over hers, and she softly sucked on it until he moaned, low in his throat.
He tasted of rum and limes, strong and bitter and intoxicating at once.

She lay with her eyes closed, still breathing hard. The light sheen of wetness across one breast felt cool, but Darok’s upper arm lay across her other breast, warm and heavy. Aftershocks pulsed through her flesh, and she knew he felt those just as intensely although he lay quiet and sated beside her, motionless except for his breathing. They were joined in an intimacy that went far beyond the physical, and she acknowledged it with a cold despair settling over her heart.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Samhain | ARe

fantasticread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: The Return of the Rebel by Jennifer Faye

Format: E-bookthereturnoftherebel
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Jax Monroe
Heroine: Cleo Sinclair
Sensuality: 2.9
Date of Publication: July 1, 2014
Started On: June 30, 2014
Finished On: July 1, 2014

Cleo Sinclair is in for the surprise of her lifetime when her newly promoted position brings her face to face with her one time childhood crush Jax Monroe. Any hope that Cleo would be immune to the man Jax had become is crushed from the minute his very presence sets her senses on high alert, even when on Jax’s part the feelings do not seem to be reciprocated.

Jax might want to be indifferent where Cleo is concerned but the childhood memories of both of them together had always stayed with him. Having always been off limits, Jax’s mind would like to continue thinking along the same lines where Cloe is concerned but her beauty and kindness even back then doesn’t make things any easier.

A little bit of danger and mayhem sets the ball rolling and sets the course for the journey of discovery that both Cleo and Jax take towards finding the love of their lives in each other. Low on sensuality, The Return of the Rebel is recommended for those readers who likes “clean” romances with a dollop of an ex-bad boy hero!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Book Depo | B&N | Kobo | HQ

goodread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Rebound by Sabrina York

Format: E-bookrebound
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Tryst Island, #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Cameron Jackson
Heroine: Kristi Cross
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: August 13, 2013
Started On: June 6, 2014
Finished On: June 7, 2014

Rebound by Sabrina York was my first experience of Sabrina York and boy, what a wild delicious tingly ride that was. Rebound tells the story of Kristi Cross who had just ended things with her a-hole of a boyfriend and turned up at the vacation house she shared with a couple of her college buddies for some much needed downtime. What Kristi doesn’t plan on is sharing quarters with her long time crush Cameron Jackson who has always made her heart beat just a little faster and her palms sweat with lust and wanting.

When Kristi finds out that Cameron might harbor the same sort of feelings towards her, all bets are off in the exploration of their mutual desire for each other which practically burns the pages up! Sabrina York definitely knows to do sizzle well and does she do it ever so well! I liked the emotional aspect of the story that developed at the same pace as the physical aspect. And being a sucker for a friends to lovers romance, well lets just say this book wooed me beyond my expectations.

All the books in the Tryst Island series sounds like they would prove to be entertaining and helluva sexy reads that I would love to check out. If you have got time for a quick sizzle filled read, take this up and indulge. You just might find yourself in need for a swim to cool off after. Recommended!

Final Verdict: Fun, flirty and oh so sexy!

Favorite Quotes

“You too,” he commanded and then all thought escaped him as she complied, yanking her blouse over her head without even unbuttoning it. “Holy fuck.”
All he could do was stare. Stare at her exquisite breasts, full and heavy and cupped in some kind of Victoria’s Secret torture device. Torture for men, that was. Her bra was lacy and black and had tantalizing curlicues that framed her milky globes in a way designed to drive a man insane.

If he wasn’t mistaken—and he didn’t think he was—she’d come. Just then. To a tiny touch.
Holy. Fuck.
Insanity raged.
Need raged.
Pounding passion, a mindless urge possessed him.
He flipped her over and yanked down her panties, so she stood before him, bared to him, bent over the table, legs splayed as far as her pooling jeans would allow. Without a word, he unzipped his jeans, yanked out his cock, and thrust it home.

Cam didn’t bother to worry that anyone upstairs heard. He didn’t care. He didn’t care about anything but swamping her, filling her, flooding her.
And it came. He came.
Hot, scorching, delicious release. Sweet relief, twined with the most powerful bliss he’d ever known.
Because he was in her.
In Kristi.
The way he’d ached to be. Finally.
And she’d been magnificent.

His cock swelled.
His hips churned.
Her body wept.
Sanity fled.
Somewhere in the deep miasma of roiling bliss, she felt the hot rushing tide of his orgasm as he flooded her. She gloried in it. Welcomed it. Jet after jet of scalding passion. All for her.
It seemed to go on forever.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords | iTunes

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Spotlight & Giveaway: Autumn Getaway by Jennifer Gracen

Today, I welcome to the blog, author Jennifer Gracen, who recently released her debut contemporary romance novel, Autumn Getaway. This is book one of the four part Seasons of Love series.

Jennifer answered some questions about her career in writing as well as about the series which I will share here today. And please don’t forget to enter the giveaway which will give the lucky winner a free e-copy of the book Autumn Getaway!

Book Blurbautumngetaway

Author Jennifer Gracen brings together a colorful cast of friends and family in Book One of the Seasons of Love series, AUTUMN GETAWAY. Newly divorced mom Lydia is just getting back on her feet. Her college roommate’s wedding promises a much-needed getaway weekend with old friends, at a beautiful manor in Connecticut. When she meets Sam, a handsome friend of the groom, she’s nearly overwhelmed by a confusing mix of hope and trepidation. Their instant connection feels intensely real, to both of them, but the ink is barely dry on her divorce decree. It takes all her nerve, and more than a little prodding from her girlfriends, to convince Lydia to give her heart – and Sam – a chance. But when the magical weekend comes to a close, Sam must return to Chicago, while Lydia heads back to her complicated life and young son in New York. Can their newfound connection survive the trials of physical distance and years of emotional baggage?

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

Jennifer Gracen’s Interview

Q: How did you come up with the idea of writing a book?

A: I didn’t. I’ve just always written books. I started in my early teens, writing romances in little spiral notebooks. I’d get about 40-50 pages in, get another idea or get stuck with the current idea, stop, and start a new one. I must have started and not finished about 30 books during my teens. I didn’t actually finish a book until I was 20. Then, I stopped writing for a while (a LONG while, like 15 years), and when I started again, at 38, it was with a new focus, maturity, and determination. I wanted to write books again, and to do nothing else.

Q: Where did your inspiration come from?

A: For writing? I don’t know. I just always loved to read, and to write. I wrote poems in kindergarten, short stories in 3rd grade – and my family encouraged it because I obviously liked doing it. It was just in me, I guess. There wasn’t a specific person/event that inspired me. I simply can’t remember not writing.

Q: Have you learned anything about yourself since you started writing?

A: YES. I’ve changed and grown so much since I started writing seriously, about 5 years ago. I’ve learned that I can work hard at something when I’m passionate about it and it doesn’t even feel like work, because I love the doing of it. That I can make myself buckle down and do what needs to be done, and I haven’t always been great with self-discipline. That what I have to offer through my writing is valid, because people who read it enjoy it. That the creative part of me never died, as for a time I thought it had; it was merely hibernating, and when it woke up, it did so with a vengeance. That my love of writing is more than a passion, it’s what I’m meant to do. It’s my bliss, as Joseph Campbell would say. I feel like I found my true self when I started writing again. I unearthed the real me.

Q: What advice would you give someone who might be thinking of writing a book?

A: Do it! Just sit down and write something. The only way to start is to start. Butt in seat. Go for it.

Q: Have you written any other books?

A: I have six completed full length novels. Four of them comprise my Seasons Of Love series. One is romantic women’s fiction, a standalone. One is the first of the next series I’m working on, also four books, also contemporary romance. That book’s done, working on the second now. And there’s one novella that will likely never see the light of day, hahaa.

Q: Are you working on a book right now?

A: Of course! The second book of the new series I mentioned earlier. Almost done with the first draft. Hoping to be done within a month.

About Jennifer GracenHeadshot

Jennifer Gracen hails from Long Island, New York, where she lives with her two sons. After spending her youth writing in private and singing in public, she now only sings in her car and is immersed in her passion for writing. She loves to write contemporary romance for readers who look for authentic characters and satisfying endings. When she isn’t with her kids, doing freelance copy editing, or giving in to her social media addictions on Twitter and Facebook, Jennifer writes. She’s already hard at work on her next book. Jennifer is a member of the Romance Writers of America and is active in the Long Island Romance Writers.

Connect: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway! Giveaway! Giveaway!

To enter, just leave a comment with your name and e-mail by which you can be reached. If you’re the lucky winner, I will reach out to you!

by mvbookreviewer

Spotlight & Blog Tour: HIT & RUN BRIDE by Nana Malone and Misty Evans

Book Blurb: Hit and Run Bridehitandrun

Dangerous Intersection Ahead

Marketing analyst Becca Daniels has a life that looks good on paper – a coveted promotion in an exciting new city and a successful, handsome fiancé. But with her Hawaiian honeymoon fast approaching, she has to face her biggest fear…water. She can’t swim. On her way to her first swimming lesson, however, she veers left instead of right and nearly runs over her hot, new instructor.

Caution: Rising Waters

Liam Caldwell has put his life on hold to look after his sick mother. The last thing he needs is the hit-and-run brunette who ruined his motorcycle disrupting the adult swim class. But from the first lesson, he realizes there’s more to the curvy, smart-mouthed Becca than meets the eye, and no matter what he does, he can’t resist her luscious lips and her driving determination.

No U-turn

With each lesson, Becca discovers that what looks good on paper isn’t making her happy. Should she play it safe in the shallow end with her career and fiancé? Or should she dive into deep waters with a man who offers passion and freedom like she’s never imagined?

About the Authors

Nana Malone

USA Today Bestselling Author Nana Malone’s love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she borrowed from her cousin on a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana at a precocious thirteen. She’s been in love with kick butt heroines ever since.

With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters. Waiting for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, Nana meantime works out her drama, passion, and sass with fictional characters every bit as sassy and kick butt as she thinks she is.

With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters. Waiting for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, Nana meantime works out her drama, passion, and sass with fictional characters every bit as sassy and kick butt as she thinks she is.

Connect: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Newsletter

Misty EvansMisty Evans Photo

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Misty Evans has published over twenty novels and writes romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance. As a writing coach, she helps other authors bring their books – and their dreams of being published – to life.

The books in her Super Agent series have won a CataNetwork Reviewers’ Choice Award, CAPA nominations, the New England Reader’s Choice Bean Pot Award for Best Romantic Suspense in 2010 and the ACRA Heart of Excellence Reader’s Choice Award for Best Romantic Suspense in 2011.

Her Witches Anonymous series was dubbed a Fallen Angel Reviews Recommended Read. The Super Agent Series, Witches Anonymous Series, and the Kali Sweet Series have been on multiple Amazon Kindle bestsellers lists. Her culinary romantic mystery, THE SECRET INGREDIENT, and the first book in her Deadly series, DEADLY PURSUIT, are both USA TODAY bestsellers.

Misty likes her coffee black, her conspiracy stories juicy, and her wicked characters dressed in couture. When not reading or writing, she enjoys music, movies, and hanging out with her husband, twin sons, and two spoiled puppies.

Connect: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Newsletter / Pinterest

Excerpt

Becca stared in shock as she struggled to regulate her breathing. No. Not him. He could not be her instructor. He could not—her brain stuttered as her gaze drifted past his surprised, clearly annoyed—although attractive—face.

Oh wow. Holy shoulders. The Tribots at work weren’t kidding when they talked about swimmers’ shoulders. He had a broad chest to match equally impressive abs worth staring at. He looked exactly like the kind of guy who did triathlons. Perfect. Her swim instructor was a totally hot Tribot. Shoot her now.

No. She wouldn’t freak out. She had a task to complete. An assignment. Learn to swim. She could do this. All she had to do was ignore Mr. Shoulders and Abs. Oh yeah, and get in the water.

Her heart rate ticked up, and she swallowed hard. Stay calm, Becs. Focus on the things you can control. And twenty-three-year-old Becca was in a hell of a lot more control than seven-year-old, learning-to-swim Becca.

She shook her head. She was an adult, damn it. It was just a little water. She forced a smile onto her face and dragged her unwilling eyes back to Mr. Couldn’t Drive’s face. “Sorry. I’m late.”

He stared at her long and hard, and Becca shifted from foot to foot. She resisted the urge to tug on her bathing suit. There was no hiding her boobs in this thing. Or her ass, for that matter. She’d looked for her Armani racerback for nearly thirty minutes this morning, but all she’d been able to find was her beach bathing suit. With its double ties at the straps and the low cut of the bottoms, it was made for sunning and getting attention, not actual swimming. Of course, the lack of fabric had never bothered her before because she’d never planned on being in the water.

Finally, he shook his head. “Please join the rest of the class.”

Right. Sorry again.” She scuttled over to join her new classmates gathered on the concrete near the shallow end. They looked like a herd of baby cattle off to a too-early slaughter. Only one brave soul, a rail-thin woman who was more limbs than body, had the courage to smile at her. Everyone else just stared at the water, looking terrified.

Stay calm. Stay calm. It’s only water. She repeated her new mantra to herself over and over again.

“As I was saying, I’m your instructor, Liam. Today, we’re going to start with the basics. I don’t want you to worry. I’m here to help you. We’re in this together.” He smiled.

Becca blinked. Yeah well, he should certainly not be allowed to do that in public. If he’d smiled at her in the parking lot, she would have been less annoyed.

He continued. “Can I get a show of hands for anyone who’s never been in a pool before? It seems like a silly question, but I’ve learned it’s a good one to ask.”

Everyone slid covert glances around. No one dared actually turn their heads and look. Becca did not raise her hand. She’d been in a pool. Like on those floating chair thingies. And maybe if she were feeling brave, she’d stood knee-deep in the shallow end. No need to embarrass herself, especially since no one else raised a hand.

Liam nodded. “Okay, good. I’m going to ask each of you to follow me into the shallow end then. Feel free to hold onto the sides. We’re going to do some introductions and get to know each other a little bit before we get started.”

Liam nodded. “Okay, good. I’m going to ask each of you to follow me into the shallow end then. Feel free to hold onto the sides. We’re going to do some introductions and get to know each other a little bit before we get started.”

Becca shivered despite the warmth of the room. She knew that they kept the pool at a balmy ninety-three degrees, which was the reason she’d chosen this pool as opposed to the one closer to her place in Golden Hill. It didn’t take her long to realize that she was the only one still standing on the sidelines.

Shit. Okay, it’s fine, Becca. It’s fine. It’s only water.

Brittle, determined smile in place, she forced one foot in front of the other until she was at the edge of the stairs. The woman who’d smiled at her before gave her an encouraging nod.

And Liam, damn him, waited patiently for her to join her classmates.

Okay. Now or never.

She gripped the railing and took a tentative step in. Oh wow, that was nice. Just like a bath. The water lapped gently at her skin, and she gripped the rails even tighter. Another step. Shin level. Great. She was really going somewhere now.

Everyone was waiting on her; she had to do this. It was either this or tell Holden that she couldn’t swim. And she was not doing that. She had the perfect guy with the perfect honeymoon planned. And the perfect job. If she didn’t do this, everyone would know eventually. With another deep breath, she took another step. Knee-deep. Yay! Except, she was expected to go farther.

Liam half swam, half walked through the water to get to her. “It’s okay.” His smile was softer, and his voice was low, soothing, as if they were the only two people in the pool. “What’s your name?”

Name, what was her damn name? Her energy was so focused on not letting go of the railing and not drowning that she’d forgotten her damn name. Deep breath. “Uhm, it’s Becca.”

“Nice to meet you, Becca. Now why don’t you give me your hand? I’ll help you the rest of the way in.”

“N-no. That’s okay. I think maybe I can learn from here.”

There were a few snickers from her classmates. Liam ignored them and lowered his voice even further. “Have you been in a pool before, Becca?”

Well, maybe she shouldn’t have lied about that part. “Yes. But usually with a floating chair or something.”

He nodded. “Okay, no problem. Focus on my voice. We’ll get you into the water together.”

She glanced around at her classmates. Some of them looked impatient. A few looked encouraging. But the vast majority were focused on clutching onto the side of the pool, oblivious to her torture. “I—maybe I can’t do this. Can I just watch?”

Liam chuckled. “You’ve already been brave enough to come this far. Let’s see what happens if you trust me. You have nothing to lose by trying.”

“You mean besides my life?”

She could tell he was trying to contain a smile as his lips twitched. “Now how would that make me look if I lost a student on the first night? I have my reputation to protect.”

This time, Becca did smile. Slowly, she let go of the rail with her left even as she gripped tighter with her right. She slid her hand into his warm and firm one and he held her tight as if he’d never let her go. “D-do you have me?”

“Look at me, Becca. Focus on me. Nothing else matters right now, except you and me.”

She nodded. His voice really was soothing, washing over her like warm rain. She focused on his eyes. The deep blue color mesmerized her, and she took another step in. Water lapped at her upper thighs.

“That’s it, Becca. Well done. Two more steps, and you’re in.”

With a little more coaxing, and a lot more focusing on Liam, her feet hit the bottom of the shallow end. Holy shit. The water lapped at her waist, and there was no shock of cold making her panic. This wasn’t so bad.

She grinned up at Liam, and he smiled in return. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze fell to her lips. Warmth bloomed from her chest and—a wave suddenly hit her in the back, nearly knocking her off her feet. She squealed and wrapped herself around Liam, octopus style, unwilling and unable to let go.

Liam held her tight as she squeezed her eyes shut. She heard him say, “First rule of the pool, no deliberate splashing of the other students. Do you understand me?”

His voice was stern and a little intimidating. The warm, lazy, mellow quality had vanished. From behind her, a male voice muttered a weak apology.

With her arms and legs wrapped around Liam, Becca hid her face, letting his strong body carry her to the side. “You can let go now. You’re safe.”

Becca blinked. A small, kitten-like whimper issued from the back of her throat. From over her shoulder, she saw all her classmates watching her with curiosity. Okay, maybe she’d overreacted. But did she really have to let go? Because it seemed so much safer with him holding her. What are you going to do, take Liam on your honeymoon? Her whole body flushed, and she reached out for the ledge. Only when she felt the cool concrete under her fingertips did she unwrap herself from her instructor.

Interested? Buy Links: Amazon | B&N

Blog Tour Stops

June 2, 2014
Doing Some Reading
Amy Manemann
Ravenz Reviews

June 3, 2013
Brooke Blogs
My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews
Musings from an Addicted Reader
Romance Junkies

June 4, 2014
Chris Almeida & Cecilia Aubrey
The Book Review
Forget the Housework, I’m Reading
Maldivian Book Reviews

June 5, 2014
TBQ’s Book Palace
Vintage Cookbooks and Crafts

June 6, 2014
So Many Reads
Renee Entress

June 7, 2014
Becky on Books…and Quilts
Foxylutely Book Reviews

June 8, 2014
Just Contemporary Romance

by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: Cold Pursuit by Toni Anderson

Format: E-bookcoldpursuit
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Cold Justice, #2
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Jed Brennan
Heroine: Veronica Vincent
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: June 2, 2014
Started On: May 29, 2014
Finished On: June 1, 2014

Cold Pursuit is the novel that follows A Cold Dark Place, the second book in the Cold Justice series by Toni Anderson. It tells the story of single mom Veronica Vincent (Vivi) and her eight year old son Michael who get caught up in the crossfire of a terrorist attack at a shopping mall. With an eidetic memory, Michael who doesn’t speak poses a serious threat to the plans of the terrorists, whose bigger agenda supersedes that of any usual terrorist attack.

FBI Special Agent Jed Brennan who is on enforced leave finds himself a crucial part of the investigation launched to find the remaining terrorists and to prevent any further attacks. There is also the untimely attraction that flares between Vivi and himself way before the case begins, throwing the detachment that should be when it comes to her nowhere to be found. Unlocking the clues in Michael’s head is the break that practically every law enforcement agency in the country needs but with Vivi protecting her son as fiercely as any mother should makes the task doubly harder when Jed himself becomes protective of the little boy who tugs at his heartstrings.

Too many close calls finds Jed, Vivi and Michael going into hiding, to give the agencies the time to do what they do best and to give Michael the time to recuperate so that he might give into the need to put pen to paper and give a face to the people that were being hunted relentlessly. Add to the mix the volatile sexual attraction between Vivi and Jed together with the baggage Vivi mostly brings to the equation, Cold Pursuit definitely has the elements of a high roller coaster ride.

Reading terrorism themed books and watching related TV shows is a bit of a touchy issue with me, considering the fact that I am a Muslim myself. Not that I would ever believe that our religion calls for the slaughter of millions of innocents in the name of a religion that propagates peace above everything else. But the fact that Muslims at large are portrayed as terrorists by the fact their name ends or begins with Muhammad is a cause of concern for me, stereotyping that actually adds to the problem in my opinion. In my eyes, violence is wrong whether its state sanctioned or endorsed by a terrorist organization looking to make the headlines. But I guess it is rather easy to make that call while you are sitting in the comfort of your own home, reading on your iPad or watching what goes over in Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan for that matter on TV with a detached air about you because those things have become practically the realities of everyday existence.

I’d say Toni handled the terrorism aspect of the story really well, giving voice to the villains as well as the heroes in the story. The villains aren’t as clear cut as some people might like them to be and I understood where they were coming from – survival being the reason behind the consequential actions. However that doesn’t mean I agree with the killing and senseless mayhem that went down, but becoming pawns in a mindless game planned and executed as a nefarious means to an end by the power hungry is something that happens across the globe every single day. Kudos to Toni for giving a voice to the killers and the victims; it is not easy to make a reader empathize with a villain on a level such as this and she has achieved it remarkably well in my opinion.

The sexual tension in the book kept the sizzle factor always at the forefront, no mean feat when there’s killing and mayhem surrounding you at every turn. Jed was such a dreamy hero, sexy enough to melt your panties, charming enough to knock your socks off and with the kind of gentle soul that you don’t come across every day. Toni creates splendid alpha heroes that are sweet on the inside and yet manages to give just enough angst to keep things real between the hero and heroine. That is what I call good writing, the kind that keeps you coming back for more.

Vivi and Michael each have earned a place in my heart; Vivi for her sheer bravery and the protectiveness that she displays towards her son. It is not easy to move past the scars left behind by an emotionally abusive spouse and Vivi earned my wholehearted approval by being brave enough to seduce Jed out of his goody two shoes belief that he is no good for the long run where relationships are concerned. Michael on the other hand tugged at my heartstrings; his uniqueness something Toni created beautifully well. The struggles that Vivi undergoes added to the burden of being the sole caregiver of Michael increased the respect I had for Vivi as the heroine.

The ending definitely gave the surprise effect Toni was aiming for. And that you’d have to read to find out because in my eyes, the scenario that played out is entirely a plausible one when one considers the factors in play. The only thing I could have wished for was an epilogue. Sorely missed one in the first book and this one as well.

Most obviously I am looking forward to Killion’s story. Now if that ain’t a hint to Toni to write the story ASAP, I don’t know what would be. Definitely recommended for those who love a great romantic suspense!

Final Verdict: Toni definitely knows how to keep the pages turning & the mind whirring!

Favorite Quotes

He held her still, his gaze intent on her lips. Sexual awareness swirled between them, made her breath catch as arousal stirred low and hot in her belly. The air around them crackled and she shivered as she stared up into his face, mesmerized.
Jed slanted his mouth over hers like he had to taste her—just the way he had when he’d found them at the safe house. It was an open-mouthed, full-on assault and she willingly met him halfway. Her tongue tangled with his in a silky slick slide, the taste of him hot and very, very male. Something inside her ignited with long forgotten need.

Then he was kissing her and she leaned into him, grabbing the collar of his vest to pull him closer. She licked inside his mouth and a furnace exploded inside him. He backed her up a few paces to the shelter they’d built years ago. Hunger filled him and even though he didn’t release her mouth, his hand was pulling her shirt from her jeans, his hand cupping her breast, finding her nipple a taut, firm pebble against his palm.
How did she do this to him? Reduce him to nothing but want.

He drove his fingers into her, keeping a rhythm that made her writhe against him and lose her ability to do anything except react—and God help him he liked that. He liked giving her pleasure. His thumb found her clit and then he pressed his palm hard against the throbbing nub of flesh. He drove deeper, wishing it wasn’t so damn cold and he could strip her naked right here in the woods.

Purchase Links: Amazon

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Housebound by Anne Stuart

Format: E-bookhousebound
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Noah Grant
Heroine: Anne Kirklan
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: 1985
Started On: May 19, 2014
Finished On: May 19, 2014

Housebound by Anne Stuart is one of her earlier novels, first published in the 1980’s. I must’ve been toddler then. The magic about romances that are well written is that they stand the test of time; no amount of development that comes about or technology advances that change the world can diminish the glow that is left behind in the wake of a romance that touches you deep inside.

Housebound starts in off in an ordinary enough manner. Nothing in particular stands out at first. 34 year old Anne Kirkland is the heroine that pours her heart and soul into her home, co-owned with her two siblings, older brother Ashley and younger sister Holly and their father. Though none of the members of her family are enthusiastic about the big heap of a building that practically swallows money as a whole with the humongous amounts needed for its repair and upkeep, Anne remains stoic in her belief that she would be able to save her beloved home, somehow.

When 32 year old Noah Grant comes visiting, as Holly’s companion for the weekend, Anne doesn’t expect everything Holly has said about him to be true. The dreamiest and sexist man alive that Anne has set eyes on, the instant connection that springs forth between them makes it doubly harder for Anne to remember that she is an engaged woman who should not swoon in the face of a beautiful man, but oh what a beautiful man he was to her senses, in more ways than one.

Noah has his own agenda for coming to Anne’s home, and though it makes him feel a trifle bit guilty at first, Noah is willing to do this one last favor for his father in law to exorcise the ghosts of his past. His helpless attraction towards Anne certainly doesn’t help matters along and though Noah continues to lie to himself and anyone else who asks him about his feelings towards Anne, there is no hiding from the fact that she affects him every bit as much as she’s reluctantly affected by him.

Reasons that I fell in love with the story are many. First and foremost, I think this is the most laid back hero by Anne Stuart that I’ve had the fortune of reading. Though Noah hides a secret that could break Anne’s very spirit, he is not hard edged and ruthless like the usual heroes that Anne Stuart pens, all of whom I adore. He even had me thinking to myself that this story would probably not work for me. But then, I should’ve trusted Anne Stuart a bit more that she would never lead her readers on a path that would not be fulfilling.

Though Noah is not the ruthless kind, he is every bit alpha as the Anne Stuart heroes that I have fallen countless times in love with. Noah’s troubles come from a past that he can’t or rather won’t escape from, the need to keep the memory of his wife alive, lest he forget how he failed her. And though Noah is truthful enough with himself that Anne is the first woman to have affected him as such since his wife, Noah remains stubborn in his is attempt to prevent any sort of commitment on his part from happening.

Now Anne, she practically made the story for me. She is so strong, feisty and knows when to give in. In other words Anne knows which battles to pick and fight in her life. Growing up as the middle child whose siblings had all turned out to be prodigies in their selected fields, Anne has a hard time accepting the fact that she is talented in everything that she has set her mind to undertake. Her attachment to her home stems from a deep emotional craving to love something that’d never disappoint her, and when that is taken away from her, well, let’s just say the emotional roller coaster reaches its peak by then.

Housebound is a novel where groveling is done to a fine art by the hero. Realizing his mistake had come when shit had practically hit the roof and I loved Anne for being strong enough to just up and leave when everyone that she’d trusted to do right by her had failed her miserably. Anne Stuart’s acerbic humor always makes any novel of hers a treasure to read. One cannot dwell on sad emotions for long; she has those no nonsense characters embedded into her stories that always gives the hero or heroine that well deserved nudge or if that fails, a slap in the right direction.

Well rounded secondary characters give the story a wholesome edge to it. Ashley turned out to be the most intriguing secondary character in the story. His projected indifference to everything that goes around him hides a far too astute mind that sees altogether too much. Too bad we’d never know what his story is about because I don’t think Anne Stuart has the intention of ever writing a gay romance and as fascinated as I am by his character, I don’t think even he’d move me enough to read one if ever written. But then again, perhaps I am underestimating the effect Anne Stuart novels have on me.

One more aspect of the story that made me treasure it all that more is the fact that the ending of the story really does see Anne and Noah through. Readers deserved that after going through such an emotional upheaval and healing period together with them. Well, readers deserve that in a lot of Anne Stuart novels but then her fans are almost used to the fact that she tends to end her novels a tad abruptly. So it was more than nice to say the least that the way Housebound ended put a warm glow deep in my heart. Now who wouldn’t glow when a story ends like this:

A few hours later Holly sent a telegram to Ashley Kirkland, care of the Sangre de Cristos Monastery in New Mexico.
ANNIE GAVE BIRTH TO BABY GIRL LILLIAN THIS A.M. MOTHER AND DAUGHTER DOING FINE, FATHER STILL RECOVERING. MUCH LOVE, HOLLY.

Needless to say, I was grinning. From ear to ear!

Recommended!

Final Verdict: Beautiful and splendid in all the ways that matter.

Favorite Quotes

She could tell herself it was the cold that hardened her nipples against the slowly rotating massage of his fingertips, the pad of his thumb brushing wickedly against the peak that shone darkly through the thin material. And she could tell herself it was the cold that made her lean back against his warm, strong body as if to absorb some of his heat.
But it wasn’t the chill that made her push her soft, straining breast up against his teasing hand, it wasn’t the cold that had her pressing her rounded buttocks against the iron-hard arousal directly behind her. And it wasn’t the cold that made her turn readily in his arms at his gentle pressure.

His control was absolute. Ignoring the cost, he began to move, rocking back and forth with a slow, steady rhythm. And each time he filled her it seemed a little deeper and a little fuller. A light film of sweat covered her skin, and shudders began to shake her body beneath his. And still he moved, seemingly intent only on pleasuring her, as he varied the force and the tempo of his thrusts.
The white-hot flames were building now, licking her body, and she clung to him like a boat adrift in a storm-tossed sea. And then suddenly, unexpectedly, it happened, and she was flung out into the sky in a shower of stars, and in that explosion of glory she felt his body stiffen in her arms, heard his strangled cry, and she wept, for the joy of being alone no longer.

His hands still firm on her hips, he began to move, arching up into her, then slowly pulling back, and then again, each time filling her more completely. She could feel her body shivering atop his, feel the rigid control in his arms and legs as he tried to slow the pace, to bring her along with him. But she was far ahead, her body shuddering with spasms of need that were rapidly taking over.
And then abruptly his tenuous control abandoned him, and he arched into her as her body went rigid in his arms. And he followed her, locked together through a mindless eternity, his breath hoarse and rasping in her ear as she sobbed against his damp, heaving chest.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | AbeBooks

amazingread