by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Intimate Whispers by Dee Carney

Format: E-bookintimatewhispers
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Jason Raines
Heroine: Sabrina Turner
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: October 7, 2011
Started On: December 3, 2011
Finished On: December 3, 2011

Sabrina Turner is a woman who hears voices of the dead from which she finds no reprieve until she takes the offer of an incubus (a male demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women) with whose encounters after which Sabrina finds a brief respite from the haunting voices.

When Sabrina during one of her episodes crosses paths with her sexy neighbor Jason Raines, both their lives are changed irrevocably, Jason who wants to reach out to his dead brother one last time and Sabrina who has resigned herself to remaining in her lonely existence for the rest of her life.

I am a reader who is willing to accept content in a story that some readers may find to offensive. And no, I am not talking about kinky stuff but rather situations that the hero and heroine sometimes find themselves in that might not sit well with the average romance reader. Dee pushes the normal boundaries within this story, landing the heroine in a situation where she cheats on Jason and the love that is growing between them. However, for me, I felt that if Jason was wiling to accept that along with all those other strange things about Sabrina, and since Dee made the scene work for me without grossing me out, I found that it actually added to the depth of the story rather than detracting from it.

Jason was such a sweetheart all throughout the story, the only time I felt he deserved a bit of a poke in his chest was when he let his father’s effect on him change his attitude towards Sabrina. The way he is protective of Sabrina, sheltering her through the worst moments of her life, the way he loves her enough to accept things a lesser man would not, makes him a hero whose one of a kind.

The only thing that irked me about  the story was Sabrina’s reluctance to move on, to believe and accept the fact that Jason was there to stay forever by her side. His patience is a never ending one when it comes to Sabrina but she still continues to have her doubts even till the very last minute, which didn’t sit that well with me. But nevertheless in the end, Sabrina does place her trust, heart and soul in Jason’s hands in spite of her misgivings which I guess goes to show just how much Jason really means to her.

The one thing that I loved were the scenes of passion between Jason and Sabrina of the scorching hot variety. If there was one thing that I knew for certain I would be getting out of this story when I accepted this for review was the fact that Dee would not disappoint me in the sensual aspect of the novel. And I was deliciously proven right time and yet again as the story progressed.

Invigoratingly different in its storyline, Intimate Whispers is for those who love to read romances that are not of the norm, stories that makes you think beyond the happily ever after. Compelling the reader to keep turning the pages, Dee Carney manages to keep one riveted throughout this unusual and at times eerie tale that kept me entertained during my foray into this book.

Favorite Quotes

She groaned as he bottomed out. He stood there without moving at first and there was so much unsaid about his acceptance. Jason waited, not moving, not speaking more. His entire body pressed against hers, and in that moment, she knew protection. She knew acceptance. And dear God, she knew love.

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Guarded Hearts by M. J. Fredrick

Format: E-bookguardedhearts
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Hero: Ethan Riggins
Heroine: McKenna Spencer
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: December 5, 2011
Started On: December 2, 2011
Finished On: December 3, 2011

I love books by MJ Fredrick mainly because whether it be contemporary, western historical or romantic suspense, she delivers a romance with a happy ending that clutches at your heart. Guarded Hearts is no exception to the rule and I was ecstatic to receive an ARC of this little goodie from MJ Fredrick last week. Expecting an entertaining read, I wasn’t disappointed as MJ Fredrick delivers well on the romance and the elements of suspense in this novel.

McKenna Spencer is a junior congresswoman who has her heart set on passing a children’s health care bill when her work is cut short late into one night when she receives a phone call from her father to vacate from the building. Her father who is a counterterrorist agent has reason to believe that McKenna’s life is in danger and so she is assigned with a bodyguard who is to stick to her like glue, whether it be night or day.

From the first encounter itself, though McKenna might try telling herself otherwise, she is drawn to the man behind the compellingly good looks, a man who makes her female colleagues’ heads turn just by being in the same room as them. For Ethan Riggins, the mission spells trouble from the start as his immediate attraction to McKenna is a forbidden one on so many levels. But that doesn’t stop him from slowly going out of his mind with wanting McKenna and the answering flare of desire in McKenna’s eyes makes it doubly hard for him to remember why getting tangled up with McKenna is such a bad idea.

Filled with bullet riddled moments one minute and heart thumping variety of over the charts sizzling hot encounters between McKenna and Ethan the next, MJ Fredrick delivers a novel that is hard to put down. And in between all those tense and delicious moments, MJ Fredrick manages to give her characters life, a past which tugs at the reader’s heartstrings and moments of tenderness between the two protagonists that just makes this an awesome piece of romance.

Ethan Riggins was just ultra yummy. I don’t think there is any other word that could describe as effectively what he made me feel throughout the story. He is not superman who switches over to total robot mode in seconds but he is lethal and dangerous when he puts his mind to it, a mind that strays far too much for his liking when McKenna is around. His ability to totally focus on one thing makes him a total hottie, especially so when he turns all that attention on McKenna. And MJ Fredrick certainly knows what she is doing with her tattooed heroes as Ethan too has tattoes on him that would make even a sensible woman swoon.

McKenna is a heroine who has had not the happiest childhood. As a junior congresswoman, her work is her sole focus, and it suites her well enough until Ethan comes strolling into her life. Though she thinks that Ethan is not the one for her, her heart and other vulnerable emotions sing his name, wanting him to be the one who lays claim on her heart and soul. She is stubborn, gorgeous and has a big heart that refuses to back down even when cornered, especially when she has a particular goal that she is working towards. I loved her sense of humor and the fact that she could bring a smile to Ethan’s face just made me a fan of hers all throughout.

Guarded Hearts by MJ Fredrick is a novel that attests to the author’s ability to deliver a well rounded tale of romantic suspense, with two protagonists who would stay with you even long afterwards. Recommended for fans of romantic suspense and fans of MJ Fredrick.

Favorite Quotes

He remained still for a moment, not long enough for her to wonder if she’d made a mistake. Then he took charge, wrapping his arms around her, cupping his hand over the back of her head, loosening her hair from its style so it tumbled against her sensitized skin. His lips were firm, like the rest of him, and demanding, his tongue stroking along her bottom lip and into her mouth. His breath came hot and heavy against her cheek, and his erection pressed against her hip. Raindrops fell from his skin to hers, and she marveled that she could feel the warmth of him in those drops.

Holding his gaze, she lifted her hips to bring him inside her.
He choked out a groan as he buried himself deep, his body pressed against hers, his length filling her, stretching her, more delicious than she’d imagined. He moved in long, sure strokes, deep, measured.
Controlled. Focused.

He lifted his head, lifted her thighs, and plunged into her, deeper, harder than before. He lowered his mouth to the curve of her throat, lips pulling, teeth scraping as he closed his hands over her hips and opened her wider, thrusting deeper. He sat back on his heels and pulled her over him, guiding her, his mouth slamming down on hers, the kiss verging on violent, his fingers tight on her ass and she came again, locking her legs about his hips, holding him deep inside as pleasure rippled through her.

by mvbookreviewer

Giveaway Winners – Pick of The Month November 2011

First of all, HUGE thank you to all those who helped spread the word. 

Pick #1: Hot Text by Cari Quinn

Winner #1: Pamela Notchey who left behind a couple of sentences from Love, Come to Me by Lisa Kleypas. Sounds quite intriguing I must say.

“I wanted you,” he said, his voice soft and singed, “the first time I saw you. Did I tell you that?”
“No, you didn’t.”
“It was raining. You were crossing the street. You took longer than everyone else, because…because you were picking your way around all the little…puddles. I wanted you.”

Winner #2: Eva P. left behind a couple of sentences from Escaped (Running from Fear) by Trinity Blacio

Even though they’re my brothers, you’re still my best friend, and I’ll help any way I can. I better go so you can take a shower and put some hot water on that calf.” Jaycee watched Shelly get up and slip out of the room.

Pick #2: On Thin Ice by Anne Stuart

Winner: Cindi Mitchell who is reading Inappropriate Thoughts by Ian Dalton and left behind a sneak peek of the book.

No more clothing was removed, but what she did next would change Brian’s life forever. Natalie stood perfectly still, took a deep breath, and slowly and gracefully lifted one of her legs until it was pointed straight at the ceiling while the other remained firmly planted on the floor but up on the ball of her foot. She held her leg there with one hand, almost effortlessly, as Brian looked her up and down.

Pick #3: Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis

Winner: Eva P. who seems to have rocked with this giveaway, who won a copy of Hot Text as well.

Congratulations to all the winners and I hope you would stop by from time to time to see what’s hot on MBR’s Realm of Romance.

And winners, don’t forget to answer my emails to you before December 5, 2011.

 

 

 

 

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Shattered by Kate Kelly

Format: E-bookshattered
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Jay Rawlings
Heroine: Tess MacLean
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: September 5, 2011
Started On: December 1, 2011
Finished On: December 2, 2011

Shattered by Kate Kelly is a novel that hit the e-book stands on September this year. A romantic suspense that features a stalker killer and a past from which both the hero and heroine are trying to find their way out of, Shattered was a novel that I enjoyed reading.

When 27 year old Tess MacLean makes her way back to South Dakota after a 3 year period, its not at all how she has envisioned a return trip home back to everything familiar would be. With a killer close to her heels, Tess runs to the only person that she can count on, her ex-fiance Jay Rawlings who made it painfully clear to her during their last encounter that she was no longer needed in his life.

Jay is a man who kids himself into believing that all is right in his world by pushing away that nightmarish night from 3 years ago when everything in his professional and personal life turned upside down. Refusing to give anything a second chance to shatter his world once again, Jay believes that keeping people that he cares about at arms length is the way to live. However, once again when Tess tumbles into his life, needing him more than ever, there is little he can do to say no and turn her away.

Rusty skills that Jay has not used for far too long help him uncover the clues as to why Tess’s life might be in danger, the clues opening up a whole lot of mess that seems far more serious than he had believed at first. And to say that Tess once again opens up old wounds that has far from healed is an understatement.

Jay and Tess’s love had been a fiery and all consuming one before their future had vaporised right in front of them. And once again, those old feelings hit Jay with full force until he has no choice but to give in and experience that heady magic that had once been his life until he had pushed away the one woman who means everything to him.

A killer who is far too close to home than either Tess or Jay envisions stalks them both, biding his time until towards the very end where Jay has to confront his past demons once again to find closure from the nightmares that have been a constant presence in his life for far too long.

I loved Tess’s character far more than I loved Jay. Maybe it had something to do with that inner courage within Tess that refuses to give up or maybe because she is the straightforward type of heroine that I love so much. For me, Jay was a trifle bit too caught up in the past, maybe rightfully so at first, but there were times when I wanted to poke him in the chest and point towards Tess and their happily ever after. But in the end, Kelly managed to deliver an ending that fits, her writing style which is what made the story work for me at all times.

Shattered is a story of second chances blended well with suspense elements that guarantees an enjoyable read. Recommended for fans of the genre.

Favorite Quotes

Jay’s large body covered her. Oh God, the welcome weight of him. His mouth descended on hers, not asking, not seeking, but demanding she meet his need. She wrapped her arms around his neck and arched up into him as her tongue darted into his mouth, met his, and mated in a hot, heady tangle.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

goodread

by mvbookreviewer

Pick of the Month Reads, November 2011 & Giveaway!

November was the month I wanted to finish catching up on ALL my pending review requests and ARCS. But as usual, life happened every now and then and hindered with my grand plans for the reading world. Nevertheless, I would say November was a good month because I read a lot of good books with a bunch of fantastic books in between which I say is just as good as it can get. This month I have not two but THREE picks to giveaway and I hope you would find something that tickles your interest and you would enter the giveaway to try your luck. Don’t worry overly much because you can enter all for all 3 giveaways!

Pick #1: HOT TEXT by CARI QUINNhottext

Believe it or not, Cari and I have something in common. That is our fascination with heroes who sometimes maybe perceived as “jerks” or those heroes who are a bit rough around the edges that lovers of “traditional” romance novels may not fully fall in love with.

For me, Hot Text has a hero of that calibre. He is not a jerk, but he is that reclusive type that just has a rougher edge around him that just shook me to my very core!

And since I loved Hot Text so much, yes, it is one of my picks for the month of November 2011 and I had the wonderful Cari answer some questions regarding Hot Text and writing in general.

MBR: As I wrote in my review of Hot Text, you deal with a situation that some readers might find offensive. And I wholeheartedly approve of the fact that you continue to push the “boundaries” when it comes to writing romances. So what made you write Hot Text and pit the hero and heroine in that very situation they find themselves in?

Cari: Thank you for your kind words! Hot Text is actually a story I came up with in response to Ellora’s Cave’s request for technology-based books for a special anthology. As often happens, I started with the scenario of someone getting hold of another’s cell phone and played what if. I didn’t really do much pre-plotting when I started writing (I often don’t) and just followed the characters where they took me.

Honestly? It never occurred to me that anyone would find this situation offensive until I was probably halfway through writing it. Karyn and Jeff are both such ethical people despite the circumstances in which they meet. Neither of them proceeds lightly into the relationship though things go much faster than either planned. And of course, Karyn not only is separated legally from her husband, they’ve been living apart for months and she has already received the divorce papers that are just waiting for her signature. She’s really only married in name only at that point.

MBR: Jeffery Maddox; now there is a hero I could have spent reading and dreaming about for a long, long time. He is so not the type that would make heads turn at first, but the way you brought him to life, I have got to say that “average” is the new hot! Is Jeffery based on any real life character that you know of? If you were to cast him, who would you pick?

Cari: Jeff appreciates your praise! ;) Nope, I rarely base my characters on anyone I know, with a couple notable exceptions that haven’t yet made it into print yet. If I had to cast him…man, now there’s a tough one. I think I might cast country singer Gary Allan as Jeff actually. Gary’s a rough around the edges, straight talker – and he’s also the kind of guy that could steam the panties off you with a single look! Jeff doesn’t have Gary’s tattoos, but yeah, I think Gary would do a very decent rendition of him!

MBR: When you sit down to write a romance, do you have your characters already mapped out and their characteristics all jotted down somewhere in your brain? Or do you let them lead, make their own mistakes and let them find their own way to their happily ever afters?

Cari: Ha ha, my CP Taryn would enjoy this question since we have very different methods to approaching a story. I don’t do much mapping at all. Sometimes, like with my upcoming novel Virgin Territory, I didn’t even know one of the main character’s names when I sat down to write. I try to plot the series of events in my mind as I go but more often than not, what I think my characters will do turns out not to work. I try to let them lead the way because when I try to force things to match my conception it never works! It’s a fun – and sometimes stressful – journey to the HEA for both me and my characters.

MBR: You seriously have a talent for making unusual scenarios in romances work. I for the world still cannot stop thinking about Spencer from Provoke Me and I say that is because of a job well done in creating the hero just the way I love em’. So will you continue to push the boundaries when it comes to writing romances or would you bow down to popular demand and start writing more “traditional” romances in the future?

Cari: Aww, I really appreciate that. Since Spencer is my favorite hero I’ve ever written, your opinion of him makes me VERY happy! I’ll admit, I sometimes get a wild hair to try to write more mainstream. All writers – and people actually – want to be liked and I guess now and then I figure “well, if I wrote more mainstream stuff like so-and-so” more people would enjoy my work. But I doubt that will happen. Some of my books are a little more traditional in the sense that not every one of them involves tortured characters dealing with a ton of angst. In fact, most don’t. But I’ll still keep writing books I know may not go over well because I don’t want to get bored. If a book interests me, I always hope someone out there will find something of merit in it too.

Author branding is a topic often mentioned but I sort of want to not have a label. “Cari Quinn writes stories about people who find their HEAs” is about as particular as I want to get. I don’t want to stick to one romantic pairing (or grouping, as the case may be) or one heat level or eventually even one genre. Because in the end it’s all about the stories, right?

MBR: Any hopes of reading a novel/novella featuring a HEA for Jeffery’s sister Daisy?

Cari: You know, I hadn’t considered it until you asked. Thanks for the idea! I definitely think she’s ripe for a HEA so…maybe. I tend to like writing about seemingly difficult to redeem characters (Diana from Provoke Me as an example, though her book is still ahead of me on my writing docket.)

MBR: Would you like to tell your fans about new releases we can expect in the near future? I am dying to read your answer to this one.

Cari: I’ve got a few things coming up actually. First up is Unwrapped, coming out 12/6 (my birthday!) from Loose Id. Unwrapped is a m/m/f menage, my first, and it’s also about best friends who live and work together. Caitlyn, Matt and Tristan gave me fits but I ended up being proud of their story. I loved doing three main points-of-view for the first time ever. And if you like them dirty…well, this is the one for you, LOL! But it’s also really emotional. I don’t think anyone who reads this story will doubt their love for each other…and I also hope that one day I can convince you, MBR, to give reading a m/m/f a try. *poke, poke*

Next after that is Virgin Territory, coming soon from Decadent Publishing. It’s also my first published story that doesn’t quite hit the erotic level. I’m looking forward to writing more sexy contemps and I hope readers like Vincent, my sexy erotic romance writing/IT geek! (Said with love, because geeks are hot!)

I also just received a contract for my next Ellora’s Cave short novel, Heart Signs, which should be out in time for Valentine’s Day. Lots of angst – and sexual tension – in this one!  

MBR: Looking forward to the angst and the sexual tension *winks* Thank you so much for taking the time to answer the questions Cari. You indeed are the best!

Up next is a book by an author that is famous for her ruthless heroes. She writes them without apology, gives us non-traditional romance lovers a taste of what it is like to truly revel in a hero in a league of their own making.

Pick #2: ON THIN ICE by ANNE STUARTonthinice

Alpha heroes are the type of heroes that we all love to talk about. But Anne Stuart writes heroes known as gamma heroes who not many take to. But for me, they are the best of the best the romance genre has to offer!

So it is no surprise that book 6 in the ICE series ended up being one of my picks for the month of November and I was lucky enough to get Ms. Stuart to answer a couple of questions regarding her ICE series and writing in general.

MBR: Thank you so much for agreeing to answer a couple of questions about the ICE series and writing in general. You must get this a LOT, but for the record I am a HUGE fan of the ICE series if my reviews are anything to judge my fascination for them by.

Anne: Thanks so much!  I love the series as well — it’s been wonderful to write.

MBR: My first question focuses on your heroes in general. They aren’t your usual run-of-the-mill variety heroes. What makes you write heroes of that calibre, heroes who are so ruthless that some people judge them not to have that “hero” quality?

Anne: You know, I don’t really feel they’re all that bad.For instance, I thought Killian was a pussycat, and in my historical series I didn’t think my heroes were all that dark.The thing is, I see their redemption.  

There are any number of reasons why I write such dark heroes — I had a very dark childhood and I’m working out my issues, I have a wonderful beta husband which enables me to work out my darkest alpha fantasies.  Maybe it’s as simple as being Taurus with Scorpio rising.  My heroes are mostly Scorpios.

I think if I have a hero go as dark as he can then the eventual redemption is all the sweeter.

MBR: Finn is a man who has been in captivity for 3 long years, enough time for any man to lose his sanity. But he is tougher than most and survives it against all odds. For a man of that calibre, the heroine has to be someone really special and Beth truly matched him in every way. How did you come up with her character? Who would you cast as Beth if On Thin Ice were ever to be made into a movie?

Anne: Oh, I know the answer to that one!  I’d put … damn, what’s her name.  Elizabeth Mitchell, who played Juliet on Lost.  She had the calm but powerful demeanor.  I loved Beth — she was strong, a perfect match for Finn, and she doesn’t fall apart easily.  I liked that she could stand up for herself, and even when certain things got to her she pulled herself together quickly.

MBR: Wow! Elizabeth Mitchell perfectly fits the role! I just love the way you manage to bring countries that you situate your novels in truly alive for the reader. Take for instance Fire and Ice, the 5th book in the ICE series. I ended the book wanting to book a flight to Japan ASAP. Which country would you say is your favorite to base a novel on or for that matter to travel to?

Anne: Well, I keep hitting Venice over and over again during my career, so that probably wins, but Japan and Paris come close. It was a taxi ride during a one-day trip to Paris that started the ICE series. The driver had the radio on and a song with the lyrics “ella a les yeux revolver” which means she has eyes like a gun. That lingered in my subconscious for a couple of months until BLACK ICE  suddenly appeared. I had 70 pages of a different book written and I was hating it. I ditched it and started BLACK ICE and it took off.

MBR: Would you like to share with your fans any news about your upcoming releases?

Anne: I’ve got a couple of Kristina Douglas paranormals coming out in the new year. And we’re in the midst of reissuing my classic historicals, like TO LOVE A DARK LORD, THE DEMON COUNT, and A ROSE AT MIDNIGHT, which will be a treat.

At this point no new Anne Stuart books, but that will change in the next couple of months.  Stay tuned to my web site, www.anne-stuart.com for updates.

MBR: A huge thank you for taking the time.

Anne: Happy to do it.  Thanks so very much for your kind words about the ICE series and ON THIN ICE.  I love the books so much that it means a great deal to hear that other people do as well.

Pick #3: HEAD OVER HEELS by JILL SHALVISheadoverheels

That brings me to my 3rd pick which happened right about the time I was going to finalize this post for publication. Yep, that’s right; Jill Shalvis totally did me in with Sawyer Thompson from the 3rd book in the Lucky Harbor series and my Picks of the month for November wouldn’t have been complete without Sawyer in the mix!

MBR: Hi Jill. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer a couple of questions about Head Over Heels and your writing world. First of all, I just want to say I love Lucky Harbor. Is there any way you could fit me in and give me a big, brawny hero like Sawyer? LOL! Not that you have to answer that question but I have read from one of your blog posts that the three sisters and the Lucky Harbor series came into existence after seeing your girls argue at the dinner table. Are there bits and pieces of your girls in the  3 sisters or have they COMPLETELY materialized from your imagination alone?

Jill: I really try to go from imagination alone.  Real life is never as fascinating as fiction, and plus, real people have a tendency to get annoyed when you write them on the page.  :)

MBR: If you have come across my review for Head Over Heels, you would know that I am completely head over feet in love with Sawyer. And to think I haven’t still gotten over my fascination with Jax Cullen and his toolbelt. *sigh* But, you have such a way with writing them sexy and endearing that I just love them. What’s your secret to writing heroes that just makes one blush all over while reading?

Jill: I guess I have a really good fantasy life, lol!  

MBR: If you missed out on the fact, I just loved Chloe. She was such a contradictory mix of wildness and everything in between that I fell in love with her from book 1 itself. If given the chance, who would you cast as Chloe Traeger?

Jill: This is difficult.  I don’t really have a picture of any star in mind, she’s truly a product of my imagination.  But it should be someone who has ‘tude yet great depth of heart.

MBR: And since I asked about Chloe, how about Sawyer? I am still picturing that guy you posted on Facebook, the one waiting on the stairs? *swoon*sawyer

Jill: That’s the one, that’s Sawyer.  I have no idea how to find him either. Maybe put out an ad.  Hey Hot Guy in those torn jeans, call me!  

MBR: So, what’s next for the Lucky Harbor series? There is this mysterious cute guy that a lil birdie told me is a Navy SEAL? And what about Matt Bowers? Looks like he is also going to get a happily ever after if I am not mistaken?

Jill: Mysterious Hot Guy is next in Lucky In Love, and he is indeed an ex SEAL.  Then will come Matt the sexy forest ranger.  And last but definitely not least will be Dr. Josh Scott, the ER doctor …

MBR: Thank you so much for taking the time Jill. Very much appreciated. And cannot wait for the next book in the Lucky Harbor Series!

 GIVEAWAY!!! GIVEAWAY!!!

So guys, this month I have 4 books in total to give away! 1 e-copy of On Thin Ice by Anne Stuart, 1 e-copy of Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis and 2 e-copies of Hot Text by Cari Quinn, one copy of which is provided by the wonderful Cari herself! So read the giveaway rules below and enter to win a copy of any or ALL the books in the giveaway this time!

Giveaway rules:

  1. Open a page of the current book that you are reading. (If you are not reading a book at the moment, open a page of the book that’s nearest to you.) And give me 3 sentences from the page you open up. Please do not forget to mention the book title and author as well. And tell me whether you like what you have read so far!
  2. Mention the book in the giveaway you want to win. If you want to enter for ALL three, just state so!
  3. Leave a valid e-mail address for a way to contact you in case you are the winner!
  4. Help spread the word about the giveaway! Tweet and earn 5 extra entries (use the hashtag #MBRPickofTheMonthGiveaway), recommend this post on Facebook & earn 5 extra entries. And don’t forget to mention in your comment whether you have tweeted or recommended the post on Facebook to get your extra entries.
  5. Like my page on Facebook to gain 5 extra more entries. If you are already a member of my page, just state so and you would gain your 5 extra entries.
  6. Giveaway begins at 00:00 hours December 1, 2011 and will end at 00:00 hours Maldivian time on the December 3, 2011. Winners will be contacted soon after and announced here on my blog!

As always, thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment and enter the giveaway!

by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: When One Night Isn’t Enough by Wendy S. Marcus

Format: E-bookwhenonenightisntenough
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Harlequin Medical Romance
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Dr. Jared Padget
Heroine: Allison Elizabeth Forshay
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: August 1, 2011
Started On: November 28, 2011
Finished On: November 30, 2011

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 100 A
The heroine 70 B
Story line 90 A
Emotional Intensity 100 A
Story’s ability to suck me in 100 A
Heat & Sensuality 100 A
Conflicts within the story 85 A
Writing Style 90 A
Quotable Factor 90 A
The ending 100 A
Overall Grade 92.5 A

Score Sheet Summary

I found this novel quite by chance up on Goodreads. Look beyond the totally bogus cover and you discover a story well worth delving into. Though medical romances aren’t my favorite type of romances to read, I make time for them occasionally and  this is one time I am very glad that I made the exception to read one. I loved When One Night Isn’t Enough, the story has two likable characters, granted I loved the hero more and sometimes wanted to hit the heroine on the head for her innate stubbornness.

Dr. Jared Padget is such a dreamy, charming and sexy hero. Those killer dimples together with his totally drool-inducing body clad in scrubs and more so out of it, and the way he is such a total sweetheart when it comes to Allison was the reason I loved him so wholeheartedly. Beneath the charming exterior that he presents to the rest of the world lies such a tortured mess that I felt like bawling my eyes out for him. No female who had entered his life had shown him a reason to trust them with his heart, but nevertheless with Allison the fact that he was willing to let go and try just made him an all around fantastic hero for me.

Though Allison proved to be a bit too stubborn a time or two during the story, she too served to be someone you can relate to. Her past is not an easy one to escape from either and that is why she has enough reasons to judge Jared as her past has taught her to. So in the end, because Allison came through for Jared I forgave her and came to love her a little as well.

I expected a light-hearted, fluffy read with a little bit of medical procedures tossed into the story when I picked this up, but in the end I was surprised and not unpleasantly I might add, because the story delivers so much more than that. It is light-hearted at moments but deep inside the story deals with a lot of emotional baggage, and a tissue or two might come in handy while you are at it!

Recommended for fans of category romances, ones where hunky doctors and cute nurses get down and dirty with a lot of emotional angst thrown into mix!

Favorite Quotes

He had no desire to talk, or move. So he sat, with her still straddling his lap, in no hurry to leave, enjoying the feel of her in his arms, which he tightened around her, slipping his hands under the bottom of her sweater to warm them. They fit together like two distinct halves purposely manufactured to become one seamless whole, a feeling he wouldn’t soon forget.

And there it was: the brilliant I-care-about-you smile he’d waited months to see directed at him.He knew in that instant that one would never be enough to last him a lifetime, as he’d originally thought. Because in that quiet moment, in her straight white teeth, her curving lips and sincere blue eyes, he’d found serenity.

“I love how you feel in my arms, how you respond to my touch and how your face takes on an expression of pure rapture when we make love. When we’re apart I ache to be with you. There is no doubt in my mind that what I feel for you is the truest, deepest form of love possible.”

by mvbookreviewer

Requested ARC Review: Edge of Survival by Toni Anderson

Format: E-bookedgeofsurvival
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Carina Press
Hero: Daniel Fox
Heroine: Dr. Cameran Young
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: November 21, 2011
Started On: November 23, 2011
Finished On: November 28, 2011

Edge of Survival By Toni Anderson released from Carina Press on the 21st of this month. Due to certain other commitments and stuff that kept cropping up, I took my own sweet time to finish this fantastic contemporary romantic suspense that features a hot British hero who made all my James Bond fantasies come to life.

34 year old Daniel Fox is a former SAS agent whose sole focus after his spotless military career goes haywire in a split moment’s decision becomes flying, drinking and seducing anything that moves. With his indigo blue eyes and charming physical attributes, not to mention that swoon worthy accent of his, women have no complaints whatsoever on being used by Daniel to forget the nightmares that continue to plague him.

Dr. Cameran Young is the lead biologist on the Environment Impact Assessment team for a large mining project in the Canadian bush. Being one who suffers from diabetes, Cameran’s life is not for the faint of heart with her battle for survival that is waged every single second of every day. When Cameran’s work takes her to the remote and at times hostile environment in the Canadian bush, the last thing she expects is to walk in on a murdered woman to kick-start her trip.

When Cameran and Daniel’s paths cross, there is no stopping the fireworks that begins right from the very start. Though Daniel does everything in his power to turn his back on the numerous feelings that bombards the shield of steel that guards his emotions and heart, Cameran’s effect on him is not as easy to ignore as he would like.

Cameran might try telling herself that Daniel is the type of man who would love and leave without even a backward glance and she is so not the type to get tangled up with someone like him. But her heart and baser emotions have a plan of their own; that is to get as up close and personal with Daniel and his uber swoon worthy body that tends to make Cameran feel as if she is on a sugar high all the time.

Though this is my first Toni Anderson I was pleasantly surprised by the ease with which she drew me into the story and had me all tied up in knots over each and every single one of her characters. She has a style of writing that has earned her a spot on my authors to look out for in the future. I loved the way she developed all the characters in the story, and I guess will continue to wonder whether she plans to write any more stories with some of the characters that were encountered during Daniel’s tortured journey towards happinesss with Cameran.

As I said before Daniel is the type of hero to bring each of your wickedest Bond fantasies to life. Even when he is making an ass out of himself by sleeping with every woman who crosses paths with him, he has a charm about him that makes it hard to harbor any ill feelings towards him. Needless to say, I loved how Daniel’s character was brought to life, how he grew throughout the story and how his feelings progressed. I loved his tortured soul that just made me want to hug him close and was practically jumping up and down with glee during those moments that he tried so hard to stay away from Cameran and could not!

Cameran’s character is the type of heroine that I love best. With no coyness to her, she is upfront and straightforward with what she wants and how she feels which is how I like my heroines. The way she slowly chips away at the resistance that is so much a part pf Daniel was both fun and heartwarming to read about. I loved those scenes of seduction between Daniel and Cameran which were pretty hot and at the same time loved how the seducer becomes the seduced in most of the scenes.

The villain and the moment where everything clicked together was one of the best aspects of the story which I say signals the fact that this romantic suspense is a well done one. Sensual, different; romance with a bit of angst, just how I like them; Edge of Survival is a romantic suspense not to be missed.

Favorite Quotes

A shimmer of something feral moved over his face—a father’s anguish, raw and defiant, but something else too, rage. “I know to you she’s just another dead prostitute, but she was my baby. Promise me you’ll find her killer so we can put our baby to rest. Promise me, because if you don’t find him, I will.”

He was fully aroused as he moved against her, and she opened her mouth on a shocked gasp. His tongue slipped inside her mouth and explored slowly, thoroughly. Nothing like she anticipated from the whirlwind of sensations that exploded through her body. He hinted at seduction and passion. Subdued. Contained. Controlled.
Perfect.
She sighed.

His grip hurt and he tasted dangerous; there was no other way to describe it. Like fire and sweat and savageness that scared her. He was so much bigger than she was, so much stronger. His kiss was hungry, ravenous.
A starving man…or an addict.

Cam smiled as she grabbed the hem of his jeans and pulled them until his feet hit the floor with a thud. He was naked. She was naked. And he wasn’t looking quite so detached anymore. In fact, he looked panicked. And annoyed. And hot. For her.

He flipped her on her back and she squeaked.
“I want to see you.” And he kissed her, tasting like darkest sin, like double chocolate without insulin, like pure malt whisky injected into her bloodstream.

He turned her in his arms and kissed her. His hands were full of woman as she wrapped herself around his body so tight they were melded together from shoulders to hip. But her kisses…they stole his breath with their hunger for him. 

He tried to stand perfectly still and relinquish control, so she could do whatever she wanted with him, and he just about cried.
She felt so amazing wrapped around him. Strange and yet familiar. Brilliant. Too vibrant and frightening to explore with anything other than his body.

He slid his hands up her back and lifted her until they were eye to eye. She held his gaze, those changeable eyes of hers blue now, reflecting the water and the sky. And finally she let go, unraveled, squeezing him tightly, wrapping herself around him in sensual pleasure. Her cries, amplified by the water and ancient stone, reached out and connected to something so fundamental inside him it felt like his soul. He closed his eyes and cried out as he followed her back into the void.

“I could kiss you until the world stopped turning and it still wouldn’t be long enough.”

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

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by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis

Format: E-bookheadoverheels
Read with: iBooks for iPhone
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Lucky Harbor, Book 3
Publisher: Forever
Hero: Sawyer Thompson
Heroine: Chloe Traeger
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: November 22, 2011
Started On: November20, 2011
Finished On: November 22, 2011

Jill Shalvis has done it yet again. With a cast of heartwarming and sometimes quirky characters, she has done a splendid job in bringing to life the story of my two favorite protagonists from the Lucky Harbor series. Jax Cullen and his toolbelt (yep, still talking about that one every chance I get), just might have to move over and make room for the big, brawny and hotter-than-sin-in-uniform, bad-boy turned Sheriff of Lucky Harbor Sawyer Thompson.

If the reaction of fellow readers of the Lucky Harbor series is anything to go by, the story of Chloe Traeger aka the wild one and the youngest of the siblings and the stoic Sawyer is the one story that has been anticipated by fans ever since the publication of the first book in the series. There is nothing like the sparks that fly between two direct opposites, who somehow eventually find that amongst the differences lie similarities between them which bind them together, especially with the hotter than fire sexual tension that ALWAYS seems a constant whenever they are together.

Sawyer is a man with a tainted past; a fact for which he has been trying to atone for, for a long time. Curbing the wild side which had gotten him into more trouble than he would rather remember, it is no wonder that Chloe with her free spirited nature clash more than once, with enough sparks flying between the two of them to singe a passerby. Sawyer might not like to admit the fact that when it comes to Chloe, his legendary cool is a distant memory, and for Chloe whose gypsy-style upbringing makes it hard for her to curb the wild streak which forever seems to land her in trouble with the sexy Sheriff, saying no is not even an option.

With her sisters Tara and Maddie, for the very first time ever, Chloe feels the stirrings of belonging and makes her long for the stability that comes with being rooted to one place. But her wild adventures makes her have to work hard to turn the image around, to win the trust of her sisters and in the process falls hard and fast for Sawyer who just makes her panties melt with one well placed scorching glance.

I loved every single thing about the 3rd book in the Lucky Harbor series. It was so much fun to see how Tara and Maddie are faring, especially Maddie who always seems to be caught in one clandestine position or the other with her fiance Jax. The most heartwarming factor of these novels of course is the relationship that seems to develop and foster right in front of your eyes when it comes to the three sisters who would never have come together if it wasn’t for their mother’s will.

Next comes my absolute favorite part of the novel to talk about. And you get 3 lucky guesses, which I am betting with everything I have that it wouldn’t be hard for anyone to guess. The uber sexy Sawyer of course who just manages to melt me on the spot with his gruff and tough nature beneath which lies a heart of gold that just made me fall head over heels in love with him right from the very beginning. And Jill has certainly achieved her goal of giving Gena the big, tough and stoic hero whom she asked for; because I for one loved every big, tough and stoic inch of him to pieces. I am telling you, there were moments in the novel that I thought if Sawyer were to get any more sexier, spontaneous human combustion wouldn’t remain a myth much longer!

Chloe is not one to be missed out on either. She is the type of hero who would just melt your heart because she is this endearing mix of wildness together with a deep yearning in her heart to belong, to be needed and to feel. With Sawyer she finds that she feels much, much more than she has ever felt with anyone, that explosive orgasm in the shower one of the best parts of the novel. How Sawyer and Chloe take care of each other with those little things that mean so darn much; needless to say Jill completely won me over with their story.

Heartwarming, toe-curlingly sexy, endearing and a whole lot of fun in between, Head Over Heels is a must read for any fan of contemporary romances and of course for the fans of Lucky Harbor series.

Favorite Quotes

“If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.”  – Chloe Traeger

He was in uniform, gun at his hip, expression dialed to Dirty Harry, and just looking at him had something pinging low in Chloe’s belly.

She didn’t understand it, but everything about him reminded her that she was a woman.

“If things don’t seem right, try going left.” – Chloe Traeger

“Why was man created before woman? Because you always need a rough draft before the final copy.” – Chloe Traeger

Heat skittered through her belly, then directly south. “Sawyer.”
In answer, he brought his head up and kissed her. Deep, hungry, tasting her in a purposely slow, thorough manner before pulling back to once again look into her eyes.
Oh, God. “Sawyer, what are we doing?” she whispered.
He shook his head. “No f#cking clue.”

She nodded, her gaze locked on his mouth. He could tell she wanted it on hers, and for once, they were perfectly in sync. Having no idea what he was doing, he kissed her again, another no-holds-barred, tongues tangling, rock-his-fucking-world kiss that left him staggered and her apparently unable to speak as they tore apart for air and waited for the world to right itself.
Didn’t happen.

“Just when you think you’ve hit rock bottom, someone’ll throw you a shovel.” – Chloe Traeger

“I’ve always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific.” – Chloe Traeger

“I don’t want to scare the guests with a big old guard dog,” Tara protested.
“Safety is far more important than worrying about what anyone else thinks,” Sawyer told her.
“You’re right, of course.” Tara looked at her sisters. “We’ll think about both an alarm and a dog.”
“We can borrow Izzy from Jax,” Maddie said.
“Sure,” Tara said. “And she can lick the next bad guy to death.”

Odd how one man could evoke so many emotions within her. Lust? Oh yeah, much of the time. The urge to smack him upside the back of his head? Yep, that was often there, too. Affection? She’d have said no. He didn’t need her affection, everyone admired and loved Sawyer, who was just about the most composed, self-assured, capable man she’d ever met.
But there was something suspiciously close to affection filling her now, which had her shaking her head at herself.

“The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the ability to reach it.” – Chloe Traeger

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

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by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: Don’t Call Her Angel by Cara McKenna

Format: E-bookdontcallherangel
Read with: iBooks for iPhone
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Hero: Rasul
Heroine: Emily
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: June 10, 2011
Started On: November19, 2011
Finished On: November 20, 2011

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 100 A
The heroine 70 B
Story line 70 B
Emotional Intensity 85 A
Story’s ability to suck me in 100 A
Heat & Sensuality 80 A
Conflicts within the story 70 B
Writing Style 100 A
Quotable Factor 60 B
The Ending 49 C
Overall Grade 78.4 B

Score Sheet Summary

This is the very first time I have attempted to read a romance that features more than the usual hero and heroine in the mix. And though deep inside I would always be a M/F fan girl for life, there were certain elements within the story; mainly Cara McKenna’s prose and style that just sucked me in from the very beginning and possibly might have changed my mind about reading stories featuring multiple protagonists.     

Rasul was a hero I loved from beginning to end. Unusual as they come, he hails from Jerusalem and is the broody, silent warrior type who still suffers from the emotional scars left behind from his childhood. A man who  shoots dirty talk in Arabic, I loved the fact that for Rasul there was no other woman but Emily and the fact that he was willing to do practically anything for Emily’s happiness, even if it meant inviting another man to take part in their physical relationship.    

For me, Emily was the deal breaker. I could understand the fact that she is totally different from what she seems to be on the outside, the one who actually controls the relationship between husband and wife contrary to popular belief. The fact that she wanted another man made me feel that she wasn’t totally satisfied with Rasul who knows every inch of her deepest and darkest fantasies and accepts her for the way she is. In the end, the encounter with a second man in their bedroom, hot as it was, for me it served no real purpose for their relationship which is why I wasn’t so satisfied with the ending.   

But the personal revelation that this book brought; if tastefully done, I would be able to enjoy erotic romances featuring m/f/m as well as the next erotica lover was worth the guts it took for me to venture into the story! And for that I bow down to Cara McKenna’s mastery with the words!   

Favorite Quotes

He pumped her roughly, filling the room with the sounds of their breathing and the smell of their sin. She felt drunk, this man’s harsh energy as intoxicating as ten bottles of wine. She stroked his chest and dug her fingernails into his shoulders. Spurs, telling him to make it rougher.

After a moment’s hesitation, he (Jeremy) asked, “Would you ever ask her to do this for you? Bring another woman in…” He stopped speaking as Rasul grasped him once again by the shoulder, thumb pressed uncomfortably close to his throat.
Rasul blinked and stared past Jeremy’s face, seeming thoughtful for several seconds before speaking. His words were slow and cold. “I would sooner die than allow my wife to wonder for a single moment if another woman could stir in me any fraction of the desire she does.”

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

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: On Thin Ice by Anne Stuart

Format: E-bookonthinice
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Ice, Book 6
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Finn MacGowan
Heroine: Elizabeth Pennington
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: September 15, 2011
Started On: November18, 2011
Finished On: November 18, 2011

Anne Stuart announced about the release of the On Thin Ice, the 6th book in the ICE series when I had long given up hope that there would ever be another book in the 5-star series that I had enjoyed immensely from the minute I picked up Black Ice. For me, Anne Stuart is one of a kind; an author who manages to deliver heroes in a league of their own, passion that absolutely scorches through the pages and a love when it comes, binds the hero and heroine for all time to come. And On Thin Ice turned out to be exactly what I hoped and envisioned it to be as I finished this in almost one sitting, just taking breaks for those essential stuff in between.

36 year old Finn MacGowan is an agent of the infamous Committee, taken captive by the members of the Guiding Light that operates in Callivera, a small war-torn country in South America. Having been held captive for three long years, Finn is looking forward to the night he would make his third and final attempt at escape; the reason that he has been kept alive for as long as he has which still remains a mystery even to him.

31 year old Elizabeth Pennington, the sole heiress to the Pennington Pharmaceutical dynasty arrives in Callivera seven months back and works with the Catholic Charities of Callivera until one brutal day when everyone she holds dear is killed ruthlessly and Beth is taken captive. 

Beth’s savior comes in the form of the Irish man Finn who makes no secret of the fact that he would willingly leave her behind if it would mean an easier escape for him. But from the very first moment these two opposites are pitted together, Finn has a hard time acting the part of his usual cold and ruthless self around Beth who stirs his senses and literally sets him afire. Blaming his intense attraction towards the skittish and almost virginal Beth as an effect of his 3 year dry spell placates him somewhat but deep down inside, Finn knows that Beth is far more dangerous to his heart and mind than any other woman he has ever known.

A trek through the jungle, with the vicious members of the Guiding Light at their heels hell bent on vengeance and revenge, not to mention the nefarious plans of a member of the CIA tracking their progress all throughout in his own personal vendetta, the adventure aspect of the novel is as hair raising as they come and I fully enjoyed every nail biting minute of it.

The attraction between Finn and Beth is a strong and visceral one that just about took my breathe away with the sexual tension that fairly leaps out of evey single one of their encounters. Finn is the type of hero I love to allow into my dreams. Ruthless and dangerous enough to kill for those whom he loves, with an inner core of tenderness towards that one woman who rocks his world in all the ways, I would love myself a Finn any fine day! I think Finn might come a very close second in my favorite hero list from the ICE series and that is saying a lot when all of the heroes in the ICE series are unbeatable and one of a kind in their own unique way.

Beth is the type of heroine that Anne Stuart does so well. Though in her thirties and richer than the average woman could ever hope of being, Beth is calm and serenity itself and believes herself to be one of those women who would never enjoy the act of sexual relations and steers clear of anything and everything that might lead to it. Her awakening is a slow one, the senses that stir into life and makes her yearn for those things that she cannot for the life of her seem to be able to voice one of the most invigorating aspects of the novel. The way Finn seduces her, not with poetry and flowers but his brand of loving that is hard and branding in its own right just about melted me on the very spot!

I loved how characters from previous ICE books came together in this novel and learning tidbits of their lives at present just warmed me up from the inside. I especially loved the last chapter that serves as a sort of epilogue which I nearly jumped up and down after reading because lets face it, Anne Stuart is famous for leaving the reader begging for more with her books.

Everything about this novel spells perfection right from the very start though there were certain editing errors here and there which I didn’t mind overly much. The only drawback; there is a feeling of finalty with how the novel ended which I think signals the end of the ICE series. I am practically a pretzel at the moment from crossing all my limbs together in the hope that I be proven wrong in the near future.

Recommended for fans of the ICE series, fans of Anne Stuart and fans of ruthless and dangerous heroes that no other hero can ever hope to compete with!

Favorite Quotes

(Beth) “You can’t leave me behind!”
“I can and I will, if I have to break your neck to keep you from following me.”
“I’d like to see you try.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” His voice was flat, unemotional, but even in the darkness she could see the faint flicker in his eyes. She looked behind her, at the crumpled body of the pot smoking soldier, his head at an odd angle, his eyes open and staring.
“Oh, God,” she whispered, horrified. What had seemed a strange kind of nightmare was suddenly, terribly real. “Did you kill him?”
“No, the tooth fairy came along and took care of him.” 

(Finn) “You’re sure you’re not a sister?” he tossed back at her, his voice little more than a growl on the night air.
She was closer than he thought, making decent enough headway on the steep hill. “I’m an only child.”
Stupid, he thought. “I’m asking if you’re a holy nun.”
“I told you, I’m not a nun, holy or otherwise.”
Okay, she met the criteria for fuckable. 

He halted abruptly, and this time she did slam into him, but at least it was his back absorbing the blow of her soft body. He could pretend to ignore it. “What have you got on your feet?” he growled.
“Shoes.”
He looked down, his eyes accustomed to the inky black. Light-weight sneakers, already soaking wet from the damp undergrowth. “Christ, woman,” he muttered.
“I didn’t exactly get a chance to choose my wardrobe when they kidnapped me,” she said.
Damned if he didn’t like her. 

The vibration of laughter increased, and for some reason it did even more to warm her than the heat from his big, strong body. “You know, Sister Beth, you’re a dangerous woman.”
“You said that before, and I assume you’re being sarcastic.” She was too sleepy to come up with a real argument, too warm and safe for the first time in days to bestir herself. “I can’t imagine anyone more pathetically weak than I am. What could I possibly do to you?”
“Sweetheart, you could make me fall in love, and that’s fatal.”

He moved around the wide counter, silent as always. She was sitting on the floor, her arms wrapped around her knees, her fist in her mouth to try to quiet her sobs, and he realized he hadn’t actually seen her cry before. [..]
She must have felt his eyes on her, for she suddenly swallowed her sob on a choked gasp and looked up at him, her huge, sorrow-filled eyes a sharper pain than the knife slash.
He moved slow enough, so as not to spook her, to give her plenty of time to move, but she stayed where she was, her huge eyes looking into his, and she fucking broke his heart, if he still possessed such a useless organ. 

Without his shirt she could see just how bony he was, probably twenty or thirty pounds under his fighting weight from his years in captivity. He loomed over her, and she finally understood her ambivalence. He had protected her, killed for her, led her to safety. He was safety.
But he was also big and raw and so elementally male that it made her teeth sweat. She’d spent most of her life blissfully above the calls of the flesh and the dark, desperate couplings that subsumed others. She didn’t like sex, didn’t want sex. Body parts were simply that. She looked at MacGowan and thought about sex.

There were times when she was honestly afraid of him. He could kill, had killed for her on a number of occasions, seemingly without a moment’s hesitation or an ounce of regret. He was mercenary, brutal, charming, devious, and yes, any other woman would think he was sexy as hell. Not her.
Not her. Oh hell, yes, her. The way he moved, as if he understood his body better than any man had a right to and knew just how to use it for a woman’s maximum pleasure. The way his gray eyes slid over her, coolly caressing. It meant nothing, it was part of his stock in trade, and yet she felt it slide over her skin like a physical touch.

He caught up with her outside her doorway, when she almost gave up. He said nothing, simply pulled her into his arms, against his strong, hard body, and his hand slid beneath her hair, tilting her face up to his. “No more running away?” His voice was rough.
His eyes glittered down into hers, and if she wanted tenderness it wasn’t there. Simply a dark, naked heat sparking between them.
“No more running away,” she said.

He wanted her hands on him, he wanted her mouth on him, he wanted to take her from behind, leaning over the bunk, he wanted her to go down on him, he wanted everything he could possibly think of and more. He wanted it hard and nasty, gentle and sweet. But most of all he wanted it now.

She could feel the hot tears pouring down her face, and she pressed it against the stone. MacGowan, you stupid bastard, she thought. Why did you have to go and get yourself killed? I care about you.
Care about you. Stupid phrase. She knew the truth, and right then the least she could do for the man who’d died protecting her was to admit it. She was stupidly, idiotically in love with him. He didn’t deserve it, she was smart enough to know better, but all the rationalization in the world didn’t help. It simply was.

Purchase Links: Amazon

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