Romance Book Review: Hot Spell by Michelle Rowen

Book Review: Hot Spell 
By: Michelle Rowen
Harlequin Blaze November 2009
4 Heart Review
Disclosure: Book provided by author

Everybody knows there's no love lost between paranormal investigator's Amanda LeGrange and sexy Jacob Caine. They can't even stand being in the same room together...

Well, unless it's an enchanted bedroom. And they're trapped there, at midnight. And the sexual tension suddenly becomes too powerful to resist...

Then that bedroom gets really hot, really fast! But come morning, they still can't keep their hands off each other. Are they cursed forever? If so, neither one's complaining.

So, this was a November Harlequin release and I’m a very bad blogger for not posting this early in Nov so you could all run out and pick this one up. I do think you might still be able to find it in some stores that leave their books out a little longer, but I know you can order this baby online at www.eharlequin.com or Amazon – and it’s worth it!

Harlequin Blaze is my favorite Harlequin line, so I was very interested in reading Michelle Rowen's first book for the line. I've noticed that many of the recent Blazes have started to have some aspects of the paranormal, but this was my first one that was completely a paranormal romance.  I really enjoyed that combo, and Michelle managed to put a very satisfying paranormal in the smaller Blaze packaging.

Part of what I loved about this book was how Michelle created a paranormal plot that was fun and upbeat, and paired that with the deep emotional issues that the heroine Amanda has. It was a great balance that allowed the reader to have fun with the otherworldly aspects while keeping the drama on the development of the relationship.

As I mentioned, I thought Michelle managed to create a very cool and neat paranormal agency, and the world in which it exists, within the constraints of a shorter length category book. Some authors can’t get me interested in their world-building in an entire full length single title, and Michelle had me interested in a sequel before I was in halfway in.

I loved the hero and heroine in this book and the sexcapades are hot, hot, hot! I’ll just say that more than one scene stuck out to me and that’s saying a lot in this shorter book length. Michelle packed a sexy wallop in one little category!

I can see this becoming an awesome series within the Blaze line and really hope to see Michelle write more of these. I was able to get Michelle to admit on twitter that she is currently working on a follow up that would be Patrick’s story – you’ll have to read the book to know how awesome that news is!

New Release Tuesday!

It’s release day for many authors and I’ve rounded up just a few of the fun looking new releases out there. Be sure to check out your local bookstore or online for more great new books to read. Today is a huge release day for Harlequin, so check out www.eharlequin.com to see all the newest releases there!

If like me you are craving some Harlequin Christmas stories, they have a special page just for those. Click here to check out all the Harlequin Christmas stories.

Desiring the Highlander by Michelle Sinclair

Better Naughty Than Nice by Jill Shalvis and Vicki Lewis Thompson and Rhonda Nelson

Dating Outside Your DNA by Karen Kelley

The Christmas She Rules by Jennifer Leeland

A Cold Creek Homecoming by Raeanne Thayne

Christmas Male by Cara Summers

Holiday Bound by Beth Kery

 

Christmas at Bravo Ridge by Christine Rimmer

 

Merry Christmas, Paige by McKenzie McKade

 

The Cavanaugh Code by Marie Ferrarella

 

My Christmas Wish by Ember Case

 

A Creed Country Christmas by Linda Lael Miller

 

An Improper Holiday by K.A. Mitchell

 

Dream Stalker by Jenna Kernan

The Dickens with Love by Josh Lanyon

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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New Release Tuesday!

Here are just some of this weeks new releases just in time for the start of Holiday shopping season. There are tons of great new books out today so I tried to mix the choices I posted up a little so there is something for everyone. Happy reading and have a wonderful holiday!

Divorced, Desperate and Deceived by Christie Craig

Tall Dark and Hungry by Lynsay Sands

Hard to Hold by Stephanie Tyler

Unbridled by Delilah Devlin

Torn by Julie Kenner

The Sweetheart’s Knitting Club by Lori Wilde

A Storm of Passion by Terri Brisbin

Taking Liberty by Jodi Redford

Book Review: Sweet Seduction by Maya Banks

Review: Sweet Seduction 
By Maya Banks
Berkley HEAT
4 Heart Review
Disclosure: ARC provided by author

Since this was an ARC, it didn't come with a back cover blurb so the only first impression I had to go on was the cover image. That cover image was quite amazing, as you can see from the image to the right. That image, when combined with the title of Sweet Seduction, let me know this book would be on the spicier side. This time, first impressions were a great indicator of what was inside.

Many might wonder, “Why an image of a woman alone?” Once you've read the book, you'll understand it perfectly. This is a book about a woman's fantasies and a man who loves her so much, that he'll do anything to fulfill them. Here's a peek at a blurb I found online.

He was the stuff erotic dreams are made of
Salon owner Julie Stanford wanted Nathan Tucker ever since she gave him his first massage. Getting paid to feel every inch of his body, stripped, oiled, and spread out in front of her? Stuff dreams are made of. But the sexy lug was oblivious to the signals she was sending—until she finished off his final rub-down with something extra. In fact, the best extra he ever had. Unfortunately, he came around too late. Now Julie’s moving on…

She was everything he’d dreamed of
The woman was driving him crazy. She lit fire to his insides then ran like a scalded cat. And now she’s going to someone else to have all her fantasies fulfilled? Over his dead body… He’s more than willing to give her what she wants, and as soon as he pins the little minx down, he’d show her his own brand of sweet seduction.

This was my first time reading Maya Banks, but I had heard great things so I was very excited to give this one a try. I wasn't disappointed. As part of a series, I had no problems reading this book as a stand alone, but do think I would have enjoyed it more, and understood the character relationships better, if I'd read the previous books in the series first.

The story started off with a bang and didn't really let up from there. Right from the beginning I like the character of Julie and knew she wouldn’t be taking any crap from the hero. Speaking of the first scene, if you read romances and can't wait for the “action” to start, then this is your book.

Julie was my kinda woman, she knew what she wanted but she wasn't prepared to wait around forever for it. Nathan was a good match for her as he was sweet and would always let her and her outspoken characteristics be the center of attention. He was a good foil for her.

I enjoyed the secondary characters and saw just enough of them to know that each heroine’s book showcases having their sexual fantasy fulfilled. I liked knowing that each book will have differing sexual situations and wouldn’t provide any cookie-cutter sex scenes. 

There is more to this story than just the sex, and Maya does an excellent job of weaving in side plots that add to the central story. She has an awesome writer’s voice, and know exactly how to craft a good contemporary story.

One thing that did get me about this book was Nathan’s reasoning for not taking the Julie bait sooner. I felt like he didn’t really have a good excuse for denying his attraction at the beginning and based on his later actions, should have been the type of man to pick up her signals. Luckily, he gets over that real fast.

I can say that based on Sweet Seduction, I will be buying and reading the rest of the series. In speaking with Maya, I know that there are two more books to come, but I'm hoping for at least three so that we can get Cole's story. He intrigued me very much and I can't wait to hear how he came to be at Damon's and to be trusted with such a delicate job. If you want to know what that means, you’ll have to read the book! :)

Read an excerpt

Sins of The Flesh Winners!

As chosen at random.org, the winners of a copy of Sins of The Flesh are:

s7anna

Janga

Elaing8

Beth (BBRB)

Ali

Congrats! Send your mailing address to cheekyreads @ gmail.com (no spaces) and I’ll send your information to the publisher. Since they’ll be sending the books directly to you, please give them a little time.

Happy Reading!

Monday Morning Cuteness

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Enter to Win $10 Gift Card!

Make sure to pop-over to McIntyre's House of Muse to enter to win a $10 B&N or Borders Gift Card!

The Sins of the Flesh contest below is still open!

Lots of giveaways today! Good Luck!

Sins of The Flesh Blog Tour

Cheeky Reads is excited to be a part of the Caridad Pineiro blog tour. To kick things off I thought it would be fun to check out the book trailer for Sins of the Flesh, Caridad's newest release.

Did that pique your interest? How about a fun excerpt?

The day the music died, Caterina Shaw did as well.

Not physically, although she understood the death of her body was inevitable. She had come to terms with that reality some time ago. She had even managed to deal with the blindness caused by the tumor eating away her brain. But then the pain had
become so great that it had silenced the music, stealing away the only thing that had made life worth the anguish.

“You understand this treatment is new and uncertain,” Dr. Rudy Wells explained, his voice smooth and comforting. The touch of his hand, warm and reassuring, came against hers as it rested on her thigh.

“I understand,” she said and faced the direction of that calming voice.

Another person abruptly chimed in, his tones as strident and grating as a badly played oboe. “We’ll begin with laser surgery to remove the bulk of the tumor followed by two different courses of gene therapy.”

Two? she wondered and sensed Dr. Wells’ hesitation as well from the tremble that skated across his fingers. He removed his hand from hers and said, "Dr. Edwards believes that we can not only shut down the tumor growing in your
brain, but possibly regrow the portion of your optic nerve that the tumor
damaged.”

Caterina’s only wish when considering the experimental treatment had been to stop the pain so that she could play her cello once again. So that her last months would be filled with the vitality her music provided.

It was through her music that she lived. That her mother lived, Caterina thought, recalling the passion she had felt as a small child when her mother had played the piano for her; the way her mother’s fingers had coaxed life from the keys much like she now did with a stroke of her bow and the deft touch of her fingers on the strings of her cello.

Or at least like she had up until the cancer had put an end to her music, bringing her life to a close. Except now she was being told something different.

Caterina had never thought about eliminating the tumor. Every prognosis so far had been that she was terminal. Now these new doctors told her not only that might she live, but that she might actually see again too. She didn’t dare believe that she would be able to get her old life back completely, as well as her sight but . . .

“You think I’ll be able to recover? To see again?” Caterina asked, needing to be sure she had understood correctly.

“The risks are great, my dear,” Dr. Wells urged gently.

“But you qualify for the human trials because of the advanced state of your illness, Ms. Shaw,” Dr. Edwards added, annoyance at his partner evident in the staccato beats of his voice.

Her advanced state which could possibly bring death even with this treatment, Caterina thought. Not that she feared her end. What she did fear was letting the pain in her head rob her of the one thing she could not live without.

Her music.

She knew without hesitation that it was worth any risk to regain that part of her. To drive back the illness so she could play her cello once more and reanimate her heart for as long as she had left if the treatments couldn’t stop the tumor.

“What do you need me to do?”

Copyright 2009 Caridad Pineiro
Scordato

Now, I'm pleased to introduce Caridad!

People always ask how book ideas come to me, but in actuality, I usually get the ideas for the characters before the idea for the plot. When it came to SINS OF THE FLESH, Caterina’s character popped into my head first. I knew I wanted her to be vulnerable, but strong. I wanted her to be elegant and creative. I used to be a musician and that career seemed perfect for portraying those attributes.

As for Caterina being vulnerable, it came to me that she would have to be ill and with that suddenly came the idea for something else – a radical gene therapy.

Because I wanted that aspect of the book to be accurate, I did research into how gene therapies were being done, how DNA was replicated and tested, and how foreign genes incorporated into humans could be seen.

I discovered lots of interesting things, like that there were ways to replicate tissues perfectly with certain amphibious genes and that you could make people/animals glow in the dark by introducing fluorescent protein markers. These are real life things that some might see as “fiction” in the book.

As for the real “fiction” – Caterina’s skin changing capabilities and altered eyesight – I totally played around with what might happen if foreign DNAs were introduced into a human body.
Which I guess makes me think about what traits people might want to get by receiving foreign DNA. Would they want to be able to change their skin colors in order to hide? Or have extra-sensory vision to help them see through walls?

If I could have a special power, I would probably choose to have super strength. I’m protective by nature and would like to be able to take care of other people with my super strength. Kind of like Wonder Woman.

How about you? If it was possible to combine foreign DNA into your body, what traits do you think you would like to have?

Answer one of these questions or leave one for myself or Caridad and you'll be entered in the drawing to win one of five copies of Sins of The Flesh!

Bonus: +1 Entry for being a Follower, +1 for Tweeting this contest (leave your twitter name or the link in your comment).

Only comments that answer one of the questions or ask additional questions will be entered to win. Sorry, contest open only to US and Canada per the publisher.

Excited for Thursday!

Is it Thursday yet? LOL – I can’t wait because I’ve got two very cool things happening tomorrow. The first, is a special Guest Blog from Author Caridad Pineiro about her new release, Sins of The Flesh. Check out the blurb below and make sure to stop by to chat and a chance to win a copy!

Secondly, I’m guest blogging over at McIntyre’s House of Muse! I’m honored to have been asked by author Amanda McIntyre to be a guest on her Thursday Coffee Talk post.

What will we be chatting about? One hint: I’m going to make your holiday shopping easier! Make sure you pop over to join the fun and win a FANTASTIC prize! Here’s the link.

Now, for a sneak peak at  Sins of the Flesh…

Caterina Shaw’s days are numbered. Her only chance for survival is a highly experimental gene treatment – a risk she willingly takes. But now Caternia barely recognizes herself. She has new, terrifying powers, an exotic, arresting body – and she’s been accused of a savage murder, sending her on the run.

Mick Carrera is a mercenary and an expert at capturing elusive, clever prey. Yet the woman he’s hunting down is far from the vicious killer he’s been told to expect: Caterina is wounded, vulnerable, and a startling mystery of medical science. Even more, she’s a beautiful woman whose innocent sensuality tempts Mick to show her exactly how thrilling pleasure can be. the heat that builds between them is irresistible, but surrendering to it could kill them both…for a dangerous group is plotting its next move using Caterina as its deadly pawn.

New Release Tuesday!

It’s Tuesday again, and that means I try to feature the new books that are releasing this week. The list isn’t definitive, and I’m not endorsing the books listed, just providing you with the information to hopefully find some great new reads and maybe even new to you authors! Happy Reading!

One book I am endorsing this week is Prime Evil By Heather Long. I thought Heather’s debut novella Remembering Ashby was a fantastic read and look for a review of Prime Evil here on Cheeky Reads soon. If you’re a fan of paranormal romance – especially with kick-ass witches as the heroine, then you should check this out. (The Kindle Edition is here.)

Dragon Storm by Bianca D’Arc (Link)

 

The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate

Forbidden by Karen Erickson (Link)

Sins of the Father by Anna O’Neill (Link)

 

Summer’s Song by Allie Boniface (Link)

 

Love Neverending by Rowan Larke

The Sun Sword by Lexxie Couper (Link)

 

Unridden: Studs in Spurs by Cat Johnson (Link)

Monday Morning Cuteness

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Good morning and here's to a great week!

In Over Her Head & Wild Blue Under Winner!

Huge thanks again to author Judi Fennell for being with us this week! Check out my review of In Over Her Head and head over to Judi’s website for a look at Wild Blue Under and the upcoming third book in the series Catch of a Lifetime.

The randomly chosen winner of the first two books of Judi’s Mer Series is…

Lexie

Congrats! Send your mailing address to cheekyreads @ gmail.com (without the spaces) and I’ll get it over to Judi’s publisher to mail out to you.

Happy Reading! 

Blog Tour: A Courtesan's Scandal by Julia London

Julia London's newest romance...A Courtesan's Scandal...

Kate Bergeron is the beautiful and mysterious former mistress of a cloth merchant...and the latest beauty to capture the interest of the Prince of Wales. Mired in a disastrous divorce, the Prince attempts to distract attention from his next amorous pursuit by ordering Grayson Christopher, the eligible Duke of Darlington, to pretend to London society that he is having the affair with Kate.

When Grayson reluctantly agrees to his Prince's demand, he finds the lady no more willing than he is. Kate will grudgingly act the part in public, but her favors are not for sale to any man.

As Grayson and Kate mimic ardor for the world to see, they find what started as a deception becoming all too real. And when passion flames into love, their predicament becomes extreme. For while marriage between a duke and a courtesan could never happen, Kate knows in her heart that she is willing to accept nothing less...

Welcome Guest Author Judi Fennell!

I'm excited today to welcome author Judi Fennell to Cheeky Reads! Judi writes a super fun paranormal series with Mer Men and I'm pleased to have her with us today. Judi's even been kind enough to offer one lucky reader a set of the first two books in her series, In Over Her Head and Wild Blue Under!

Welcome Judi!

Thanks so much for inviting me on Cheeky Reads! I love to think my Mer series falls under the heading of "cheeky," but I have yet to come up with appropriate music to score the stories.

I love reading about soundtracks authors have for their stories. It's like the story collage idea - both of which I think are really cool, but both of which I don't do.

I will say that Microsoft's OneNote has changed the story collage idea somewhat for me. I now take the research that I used to mark as "Favorite" on my Internet Explorer toolbar and copy and paste it into a OneNote document, so I can go back and look at the buildings/maps/etc. when I'm working somewhere offline, but the soundtrack thing still eludes me.

I do write to music, but I use it more as white noise than any kind of inspiration. Oh, I started out with an ocean sounds CD, hoping to get inspiration from the seagull and dolphin song, but, more often than not, I'd find myself getting lulled to sleep by the wave action. I love listening to the ocean, but when you're writing action/adventure/life-and-death scenes, the last thing you want to do is fall asleep. Makes for a pretty boring action scene if it puts the author to sleep.

So I uploaded a bunch of classical and new age music. Instrumental as opposed to lyrical because I can't write new scenes with lyrics be-bopping around in my head that I start to sing to. (And if you've heard me sing, you'll know why this isn't a good thing—especially for those around me. Okay, I'm not that bad, but Simon Cowell definitely won't be calling.)

There's no rhyme or reason to the music I listen to. I like to listen to anything I won't get caught up in. Some songs are slow, some fast, some loud, some soft, some well-known, some not so. Beethoven, Yanni, Tchaikovsky, Irish Step Dance music, the soundtrack from Robin Hood… a very eclectic list that I've created on my iTunes list. I have a playlist titled "Writing Music" that goes on right after I upload the most current edition of my WIP.

I guess that is a soundtrack of sorts, but to me, a soundtrack signifies songs that fit the mood of your story. The tone and rhythm. If I wrote to the rhythm of what I listen to, I think I might make readers (and myself) seasick, as I just hit "Shuffle" and what comes out, comes out. It basically becomes something to block out sounds around me so I can focus on what's in my head. I find that I don’t even notice the music after a while, that the characters' voices become easier to hear. Although, when I do take out the earphones, it's amazing how quiet everything is.

That being said, when it comes time to editing (around the third pass through) I can listen to music that I can sing to - but I have to listen to it for a while before I can get beyond the words. Case in point, I watch the show Real Housewives on Bravo and one of the Atlanta Housewives recently released a dance song, "Tardy for the Party." It's a catchy little ditty and I've found (now that I've played it a gazillion times) it's upbeat enough to read through action scenes and I'm no longer singing along, so it's perfect background music.

But after listening to it for five hour stretches, I have to say, it's looking to be replaced. Soon.

I'd love to hear what other people listen to. How do you write/read a story if there are lyrics playing in your head at the same time? How do you choose which songs you'll write/read to?

And while you're listening to your favorite writing music, feel free to stop by my website, http://www.judifennell.com/, and register to win one of two remaining romantic beach getaway weekends (the first has already been awarded), to either the Atlantis Inn in Ocean City, NJ (http://www.atlantisinn.com/) or the Hibiscus House in West Palm Beach, FL (www.HibiscusHouse.com).

Answer Judi's question regarding what kind of music you like to listen to while reading or writing and you'll be entered to win In Over Her Head and Wild Blue Under! Check back tomorrow morning to see if you've won!

Bonus: +1 for being a follower of this blog / +1 for Tweeting about this post and giveaway

Contest is open to U.S. and Canada residents only.

New Release Tuesday!

After last weeks HUGE palooza of a release day, things are slightly calmer this week – and my pocketbook is thankful! this week I’m featuring all the new releases from Samhain Publishing. Happy Reading!

Only In My Dreams by Dana Marie Bell

Redline Lover by Charlene Teglia

 

Summer-set By Karalynn Lee

A Question of Love by Jess Dee

 

Blood and Roses by Aislinn Kerry

Online Chat With Three Awesome Authors!

I just saw this news and thought I would share…

Tonight authors CL Wilson, Joy Nash & Emily Bryan will be at WritersSpace for a chat and to give away signed copies of their new books, QUEEN OF SONG AND SOUL, SILVER SILENCE  and THE CHRISTMAS BALL.

Join the chat tonight at 9-10PM EST at the WritersSpace link above!