Book Review: The Heat Is On by Jill Shalvis

Romance Book Review: The Heat Is On
By: Jill Shalvis
Harlequin Blaze August 2010
4 Heart Review

Oh, dear. Bella Manchelli is so not having a good day. First, she's deliciously exhausted from last night's sizzling one-night stand. Second, there's a (gulp) dead body at her back door. Third…um, that scrumptious one-nighter is at her front door… and he's wearing a badge!

Police Officer Jacob Madden is all about duty. Until he shows up looking for a homicide…and runs right into last night's slice of sexy heaven! Damn, he just can't think straight when he's around Bella. All he wants to do is lick her up one side and down the other….

Can duty and smoking-hot sex blend for a while? Definitely! Until Jacob discovers that several of the guys Bella's dated have turned up dead. Jacob loves being around Bella. But is he ready to be used as target practice?

This book is what a Harlequin Blaze is all about - sexy, fun and with the kind of heroine you'd love to have as one of your girlfriends. Jill Shalvis is a damn good author and I really enjoyed this story that started with a bang, literally, and never let up.

You'll root for both the hero and heroine and I couldn't find a thing I didn't like about them. I loved how realistic Police Officer Jacob Madden was and Bella was like the embodiment of a lot of modern women today - feeling restless, wanting to travel the world, and scared of settling for life.

The suspense in this story mixes well with the love story and did contribute to the central story very well instead of taking away from it. In fact, the suspense was written so well that it helped showcase who the characters really where and why they belonged together.

A really solid book with something a little extra that will make you smile and keep you reading straight through, The Heat Is On is an excellent book and I really recommend it for lovers of contemporary and romantic suspense.

Happy Reading!

Awesome New Site for Urban Fantasy & Romance Readers!

Ok, so I'm a little late in posting this but I wanted to make sure to tell you about the awesome new site launched by Pocket Books for us Romance and Urban Fantasy lovers.

It's called "Pocket After Dark," and I've just joined becuase it really is pretty cool and I'm applauding Pocket Books for doing it. Stop by the website and check it out!

Here are more details from the press release:

Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, has announced the launch of POCKET AFTER DARK (PocketAfterDark.com), a free online community for romance and urban fantasy readers. Developed by Simon & Schuster Digital, Pocket After Dark will offer access to exclusive content and provide a forum for members to share interests and connect with other readers, authors, and editors on a personal level.

POCKET AFTER DARK will allow members to read, rate, and discuss new romance and urban fantasy books, participate in polls and live chats with bestselling authors, discover new authors and sample material, and connect with fellow readers and fans. Special features will include access to free books, A Little Tease which offers two free chapters of up to six current titles per month, and a sneak peek from a soon-to-be published book by new and popular authors. Members will also be able to earn points based on their site activity.

The site also includes the entire catalog of Simon & Schuster’s romance and fantasy books organized around the various sub-genres: contemporary, historical, paranormal, urban fantasy, and romantic suspense so readers can easily engage with the content and discussions they find most relevant to their interests.

While the site is geared towards reading and discussion, users can buy the books directly from the site or an online retailer of their choice.

“Pocket Books is home to many of today’s premiere romance and urban fantasy authors, and Simon & Schuster Digital remains at the forefront of developing exciting and compelling online content,” said Louise Burke, Pocket Books’ Executive Vice President and Publisher. “I am thrilled to be a part of this new venture that will unite our authors with their devoted fans.”

“Romance and urban fantasy readers are incredibly active online, and love to talk about their favorite books,” said Lauren McKenna, Pocket Books’ Executive Editor. “POCKET AFTER DARK wants to be the publishing equivalent of their favorite hangout, where they can spot a publishing ‘VIP,’ bestselling author, or just talk with like-minded fans.”

“We combined free access to great content with all the latest social media functionality to create a virtual book club that serves passionate romance and urban fantasy readers,” said Ellie Hirschhorn, Simon & Schuster’s Chief Digital Officer. “Readers and fans can now connect around their favorite authors, characters, and books with others from around the country, rather than limiting discussions to those held in their living rooms.”

Log on to http://PocketAfterDark.com and become a member today!

New Release Tuesday

Here are just a few of the books releasing this week that caught my attention...What caught yours? Are you a YA reader who is Mockingjay addicted right now? If so, why do you love that series? (Since I don't read YA, I'm out of the loop!)

A dangerous demon she can't resist...

Malkom Slaine: tormented by his sordid past and racked by vampiric hungers, he's pushed to the brink by the green-eyed beauty under his guard.

A maddening witch he aches to claim...
Carrow Graie: hiding her own sorrows, she lives only for the next party or prank. Until she meets a tortured warrior worth saving.

Trapped together in a savage prison...
For them to survive, Malkom must unleash both the demon and vampire inside him. When he becomes the nightmare his own people feared, will he lose the woman he craves body and soul?

Check out more information about Demon From the Dark and read an excerpt here.
 

AN INNOCENT WOMAN

Emmaline Marlow is about to wed the extremely powerful laird of the Hepburn clan to save her father from debtor's prison when ruffian Jamie Sinclair bursts into the abbey on a magnificent black horse and abduts her in one strong swoop. Though he is Hepburn's sworn enemy, Emma's mysterious captor is everything her bridegroom is not--handsome, virile, dangerous...and a perilous temptation for her yearning heart.

A DANGEROUS MAN
Jamie expects Emma to be some milksop English miss, not a fiery, defiant beauty whose irresistible charms will tempt him at every turn. But he cannot allow either one of them to forget he is her enemy and she his pawn in the deadly Highland feud between the clans. Stealing his enemy's bride was simple, but can he claim her innocence without losing his heart?
 
Check out an excerpt of The Devil Wears Plaid here.
 
 

HER TOUCH IS DEADLY
As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she’ll die before she’ll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin’s innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence.

HIS HUNGER CAN’T BE DENIED
Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she’s no stranger: He’s bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld’s most wanted and Con soon learns he’s the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

For more information on Sin Undone and to read the excerpt, click here.
 
 

 
Highborn Anna Arrington has been "following the drum," obeying the wishes of her cold, controlling cavalry officer husband. When he dies, all she wants is to leave life with Wellington's army in Spain behind her and go home to her family's castle in Scotland.
 
Sergeant Will Atkins ran away from home to join the army in a fit of boyish enthusiasm. He is a natural born soldier, popular with officers and men alike, uncommonly brave and chivalrous, and educated and well-read despite his common birth.

As Anna journeys home with a convoy of wounded soldiers, she forms an unlikely friendship with Will. When the convoy is ambushed and their fellow soldiers captured, they become fugitives—together. The attraction between them is strong—but even if they can escape the threat of death at the hands of the French, is love strong enough to bridge the gap between a viscount's daughter and an innkeeper's son?

Check out the Carina Press website for more info and an excerpt.

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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New Release Tuesday...

So today instead of featuring books that are releasing this week only, I wanted to show a couple of recent books that really caught my attention and are in my TBR pile. I hope you'll let me know what you think of my list and tell us what books in your TBR pile you are most looking forward to!

"I'm Lexi Carmichael, geek extraordinaire. I spend my days stopping computer hackers at the National Security Agency. My nights? Those I spend avoiding my mother and eating cereal for dinner. Even though I work for a top-secret agency, I've never been in an exciting car chase, sipped a stirred (not shaken) martini, or shot a poison dart from an umbrella.

Until today, that is..."

I first noticed this book on the Carina Press website and I MUST read it. From the blurbs, I'm hoping this is a slam dunk 5 Hearter for me. It's exactly the kind of story I love - I'm all about the Geektastic. Give me a geeky hero or heroine and I'm all over it. Click here to go read the full blurb, an excerpt from the book and for info on where to buy No One Lives Twice.

"One happily-ever-after rocking chair…

And no sign of any forthcoming babies to rock in ol’ Georgebury, Vermont. For Callie Grey, turning thirty means coming to grips with the fact that her boss (and five-week fling) is way overdue in his marriage proposal. And way off track, because Mark has suddenly announced his engagement to the company’s new Miss Perfect. If that isn’t bad enough, her mom decides to throw her a 3-0 birthday bash in the family funeral home."

I seriously love Kristan Higgins' books, and that's why I cannot wait to read All I Ever Wanted. Not only have reviews been great for this book, but I had my copy personally signed by Kristin at the RWA Conference so somehow that must translate into a super special awesome read right? Right? :) Check out this link to see more details and to read an excerpt.

"After the death of his wife and father, the Earl of Markham has spent the last five years fiercely guarding his emotions from involvement, including getting too close to his son. Then a blackmail threat shatters his impassive world..."

Leslie Dicken is a writer I'm keeping my eye on becuase I just know she's going to explode soon. Her book Beauty Tempts the Beast was one of my favorite reads of all of last year. A seriously awesome book that if you haven't read you should. Her newest release is A Tarnished Heart and I'm hoping it's every bit as good as BTTB was. Here's a link to Leslie's site and includes an excerpt.

Those are just a few from my pile - what about you? What book are you itching to read? Are there any upcoming releases you'll be stopping by the bookstore for on release day?

Book Review: Risk No Secrets by Cindy Gerard

Risk No Secrets - A Black Ops, Inc. Novel
By Cindy Gerard
Pocket Books Romance
4 Heart Review

A Red-Hot Attraction...

Twelve years of chasing bad guys didn't erase beautiful Sophie Baylor from Wyatt Savage's memory. If he had another chance, he'd never let her leave. So when she tracks him down from El Salvador and begs for help, he doesn't ask questions - he just goes. 

Starts With A Terrifying Threat...

Sophie is grateful her daughter survived a kidnapping attempt, but she won't forgive herself until the girl who was mistakenly abducted is safe. Wyatt is the only man brave enough to take on the mysterious terrorists behind the crime - and the one irresistible man she wishes she had never let go. 

...And Unleashes An Unforgettable Adventure.

Sophie knows Central America's steamy jungles and sticky politics better than anyone. Yet she refuses to hide in fear. Then she becomes the enemy's number one target. Wyatt lost her once, and he won't lose her again - even if he has to fight, kill or die to save her.

That sound you just heard? That was me sighing in satisfaction after finishing this book. There is something so satisfying about really good Romantic Suspense and Cindy Gerard does it very, very well. Her Black Ops, Inc. books are so much fun to read and I love reading the mix of steam and suspense in a well-paced book.

The absolute only issue I had with this book was that I had a hard time understanding and connecting with why Sophie had chosen Hugh over Wyatt those 12 years before. That was the only thing keeping this from being a 5 Heart Review for me. I guess I needed some more depth to that back story in order to understand Sophie's choice. Instead, I felt like she just married Hugh because he was the one who asked.

Both Sophie and Wyatt were engaging characters and I absolutely loved seeing a little bit into the other Black Ops, Inc. members falling in love or seeing them happy after their own books HEA.

I love this series and if you are a fan of romantic suspense, or want to add some suspense to your life, give Cindy's books a try. You can easily pick up anywhere in the series without missing anything. Each book stands on it's own completely, but with visits from past and future characters.

Book Review: The Sexy Devil by Kate Hoffman

Book Review: The Sexy Devil
By Kate Hoffman
Harlequin Blaze June 2010
3 Heart Review


He's her ultimate challenge...


Meet Max Morgan. Unrepentantly sexy. Impossible to resist. He's broken countless hearts across the country - including Angela Weatherby's...


When Angela first met Max, she'd been young, sweet and impressionable. But time and experience have changed that. Now she can see what kind of man he really is. 


Unfortunately, he's still the man she wants more than her next breath. 


And she finally gets him! Angela's night with Max is magical. He knows just what to do, where to touch, how to make her feel. He's the perfect man for her. 


Too bad she's not the first woman to believe that. But will she be the last?

I'm a Blaze Girl - Harlequin Blaze that is. If you have never tried a Harlequin category book before, I would suggest starting with the Blaze line. These are sexy, modern stories for today's woman and in a length that works so well with your busy life. I can't tell you how much I love the freedom this shorter length of book gives me - I know I can start the book and finish it within 1-2 sittings. It takes the pressure off having to set aside so much time to get into a longer length romance. The size also fits so well into any purse! :)

The first thing that drew me to this book was the cover. I'm constantly looking for new or different covers adn this one caught my eye becuase the hero on the cover is not your typical short-haired white guy with a set of guns (i.e muscles). Instead, it's an olive skinned man with dark, slightly longer hair and a sophisticated look. I love that the front cover blurb says "Trouble never looked so good!"

I really enjoyed this book. It was a solid read that althougth there were a few small things I felt slightly off about, there were no issues that drew me out of the story. In fact, I quite liked the hero and the heroine and enjoyed reading them come together.

One thing that I wished hadn't featured so much, was the back story of Angela following Max to college. Yes, I know that young girls do things like this but it made it hard for me to picture Angela as an adult woman ready for sex, real love and happily ever after. I found myself feeling like she was much to young for this story. Likewise, I wished that Max had a little more age on him as well.

I did highly enjoy Max proving Angela wrong both about himself and his supposed playboy ways, and about how attractive Angela is. Angela's rate-a-man website is also a very fun part of the story and I was happy to see what Angela decides about that in the end of the book. That decision helped give her maturity in my eyes and made the story feel more compelte.

Again, a solid book but nothing about it went above and beyond to me. Very fun, easy to get through and refreshing to have a light-weight conflict I would recommend this for a nice, quick read.

I've Been MIA...At RWA!

So the craziness that is The Romance Writers of America National Conference snuck up on me fast and I didn't get a chance to pre-write some posts for while I was gone. So sorry, but being a stand-alone blogger can get overwhelming!


This was my very first RWA Conference and I had no idea what to expect or how open people would be to my being there as a blogger. I shouldn't have worried one bit - it was a blast from start to finish and I'm still recovering.


The best part of the event was meeting all the wonderful authors, editors and agents who love the romance industry and it was amazing to see the support and appreciation shared between all the attendees. For instance, I was waiting in line to get a book authorgraphed by none other than Lisa Kleypas when I realized that the lovely woman assisting her looked very familiar. This woman was unpackign books, handing them to Lisa to sign and also counting those last of us in line to make sure there were enough books for everyone. It came to me all of a sudden - this was author Christina Dodd! I had thought this was a publicist or editorial assistant helping Lisa out, but instead I learned that Christina and Lisa are very good friends and obviously very supportive of each other.


Saying that to Christina on twitter, she says that she just wanted Lisa to hurry up so they could go to lunch but I was there and thought it was obvious she was having fun helping Lisa out. :)


So if you know me, then you know I would totally dork out on a few fav authors. I did not disappoint! Upon seeing Victoria Dahl, I suddenly had no control over my mouth. I just kept talking and talking and talking. I have no idea what I even said. I do know it couldn't have been anything intelligent! Poor Victoria!


I also totally lost it - but this time at least my craziness was coherant - on meeting Vicki Lewis Thompson. She's an all-time favorite of mine and I just had to tell her so. At least she seemed very excited and happy to meet a reader who loves her books - she said I made her day. I hope so!


I can't talk about RWA and not mention all the other awesome bloggers I met. Wendy the Super Librarian rocks the house. Seriously. We met at a dinner put on for bloggers by Carina Press - more on that later in a special post - and I just wanted to talk to her about books for hours. If you aren't familiar with her blog (which I'm sure you totally are, but just in case) go check it out here.


Some of the other fantastic book bloggers I meat were Aztec Lady (such a lovely woman!) the awesome ladies from All About Romance, KristieJ from Ramblings on Romance, PJ from The Romance Dish. There were so many others, but it would be impossible to list them all!

I'll have more to say about my time at RWA in the coming days, including news on upcoming books that caught my eye, more about Carina Press and all they have in store for readers and more details on what's happening with your favorite authors.

So readers, have you ever made a fool of yourself in front of one of your favorite writers? Or did you manage to keep your cool? We want to hear about your own author sightings!

Happy Reading!

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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New Release Tuesday!

Welcome to New Release Tuesday - Mega Edition! There are so many exciting and amazing sounding books out today that I couldn't even try to list them all here. So, I decided to narrow the list down to those releases that caught my attention. It's a good start of today's releases, but I highly suggest you check out your favorite online stores or head to a bookstore to see all the awesome books out today!

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Free Online Romance Writing Conference

Not forking out the dough for the RWA Conference this year, with evening wear, suits, high heels and whatever "business casual" means?

Not to worry! Romance Divas is hosting the

Not Going to Conference Conference...

The Conference You Don't Have to Get Out of Bed For!

From July 28-31, come hang out with some terrific, savvy authors -- and you don't even have to brush your teeth (although, seriously, good dental hygiene gets you extra points.)

We'll be hosting panels on:

The Power of Three: A crit group tell-all (Paranormal)

Crystal Jordan

Patti O'Shea

Dayna Hart/Rowan Larke

The Lolitas of STEAMED! Present Writing the Steampunk Romance -more than leather corsets and brass goggles!

Marie-Claude Bourque

Theresa Meyers

Whips, Chains, Slings, Oh My: It Really Isn’t About the Toys (BDSM Erotica)

James Buchanan

Joey Hill

The Great Big YA Panel

Rhonda Stapleton

Shannon Delany

Kiersten White

Carrie Ryan

Linda Gerber

Saundra Mitchell

Lara Zielin

Brenna Yovanoff

Register for free at Romance Divas, then come join us on the forums for the discussions, as well as some terrific prizes:
Eden Bradley/Eve Berlin:
1) erotic e-books, THE SEEKING KISS and TEMPT ME TWICE.
2) a synopsis critique in any sub-genre of erotica/erotic romance.
Jax Cassidy:
1) erotic e-books, DEVIL'S HEART and BRUSH STROKES.
2) book cover design or banner ad
Kristen Painter:
copy of her e-book, ALL FIRED UP
Rhonda Stapleton:
1) STUPID CUPID YA Book trilogy
2) a proposal critique (1st 3 chapters and synopsis) for any genre of book, romance or not
K.B. Alan:
1) The choice of one of her e-books: PERFECT FORMATION, ALPHA TURNED or BOUND BY SUNLIGHT.
2) A $25 Barnes and Noble gift card.
Robin L. Rotham: Signed copies of BIG TEMPTATION, ALIEN OVERNIGHT, and ENEMY OVERNIGHT
AJ Chase: copies of e-book CAT AND MOUSE
Inez Kelley:
1) e-book package of both MYLA BY MOONLIGHT and SALOME AT SUNRISE
2) The complete Dirty Laundry Series (3 e-novellas) co-written by Ginny Glass aka Wordsugar and Inez Kelley
Kate Pearce:
1) a three chapter ~and~ synopsis critique-any erotic romance, paranormal romance or historical romance.
2) Winners choice, in either print or e-book format (if available), of a set of the Simply series (there are 5) ~or~ a set of the Cowboys (there are 3) ~or~ a copy of KISS OF THE ROSE-readers choice.
R.G. Alexander:
Winners choice of any two e-books from her Samhain or Ellora's Cave back list
Nadia Lee:
Critique of 1st chapter & synopsis-paranormal or contemporary romance
Shelley Munro: Winners choice of any one her backlist books from Ellora's Cave or Cerridwen Press
Ciar Cullen: Winner's choice of any one e-book on her website.
Voirey Linger: A copy of her e-book RISKING ETERNITY
RF Long:
1) a submission package critique (letter, synopsis and 3 chapters)
2) e-books! (details TBA)
Crystal Jordan:
1) 1st chapter and synopsis critique
2) One copy of any e-book off her Samhain backlist (http://samhainpublishing.com/authors/crystal-jordan)
3) One copy of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (print or electronic, winner's choice)
Jeannie Lin:
1) a first chapter critique, any genre
2) an official BUTTERFLY SWORDS souvenir charm
Elise Logan: Winner's choice of any e-book from her backlist
Marguerite Labbe:
1) A critique of an m/m story
2) Signed copies of her m/m vampire trilogy MY HEART IS WITHIN YOU, HAUNTED BY YOUR SOUL and OUR SACRED BALANCE
Seeley DeBorn:
One jar of home made body or face scrub, customized to the winner's preferences and skin type.
For example: Orange Spice Oatmeal, Coffee-Cocoa, Citrus Salt, Lavender Mint, Honey and Flax
Sela Carsen: a copy of her e-book CAROLINA WOLF
Hailey Edwards:
1) a copy of her sweet fantasy romance ebook, EVERLONG.
2) two five dollar MBaM gift cards
Charlotte McClain:
Copy of her two e-books, LOVE TO DECLARE and ROCK STAR'S RETREAT
Cynthia Justlin: (Golden Heart Finalist!) Proposal Critique (3 Chapters and synopsis)-any genre other than erotic
Lainey Bancroft:
1) signed copies of her contemporary romance, THE TROUBLE WITH TESSA and her chick lit romance COZUMEL KARMA
2) Proposal critique (3 chapters and a synopsis) any genre except Steampunk
Tina Burns-Publisher-Liquid Silver Books:
1) a critique of 1st 3 chapters & synopsis
2) 3 be-book prizes for 3 different winners! Winners choice of any one e-book download from LSB library.
Mima:
Winner's choice of one e-book from her backlist-see her website for booklist.
Taneasha: handmade jewelry by our own Taneasha-details to come!
Barbara Sheridan:
1) Winners choice of one e-book from her backlist-see her website for booklist.
2) Critique of up to 20 pages of either M/M, or M/F romance or erotic romance in various subgenres (contemporary, historical, paranormal or suspense/mystery)
David Bridger:
A copy of his ebook BEAUTY AND THE BASTARD
Victoria Janssen:
3 print books TBA (whatever she finds at the RWA Conference)
Gemma Halliday:
Signed copy of SCANDAL SHEET
Jennifer Leeland/Jennifer McKenzie:
1) copy of her e-book MARKED FOR PLEASURE (Kindle version available upon request)
2) copy of her e-book MARKED FOR DESIRE (Releasing June 29th) (Kindle version available upon request)
3) copy of her e-books The Command Series (Trilogy)
4)copy of her BDSM e-book series (3 from TWRP and 1 from Samhain)
Emily Ryan-Davis:
1) Critique of novella-length (up to 30k) manuscript; any time period, m/f, menage, f/f (m/m not her area of expertise)
2) signed print copies of her anthology: MATING CALL, DRAGON DANCE and DRAGON BOUND
3) e-book copy of CHANGING THUMBELINA
Sabrina Darby:
1) Signed copy of her erotic historical novel, ON THESE SILKEN SHEETS
2) Critique of first thirty pages of any Regency (erotic or non erotic fine, but m/m outside my area of expertise)
Alina Morgan:
1) copy of her e-book The Twilight Deception
2) copy of her e-book The Shadow Unveiled
Debbie Mumford:
1) Critique of a synopsis
2) Winner's choice of any e-book from her back list.
Kimberly Troutte:
1) copy of her e-book SOUL STEALER
2) copy of her e-book CATCH ME IN CASTILE
Sasha Devlin:
1 pair of hand made writing mitts or gloves-style and color TBD by the winner
Julia Knight
Winner's choice of one copy of any of her books available in e-book format

Audio Book Review: Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas

Audio Book Review: Married by Morning

Written By: Lisa Kleypas
Performed by: Rosalyn Landor
Brilliance Audio Unabridged
9 Hours 52 Minutes
Writing: 5 Heart Review
Audio Performance: 5 Heart Review

He is everything she wants to avoid...

For two years, Catherine Marks has been a paid companion to the Hathaway sisters – a pleasant position, with one caveat. Her charges' older brother, Leo Hathaway, is thoroughly exasperating. Cat can hardly believe that their constant arguing could mask a mutual attraction. But when one quarrel ends in a sudden kiss, Cat is shocked at her powerful response – and even more so when Leo proposes a dangerous liaison.

She is not at all what she seems...

Leo must marry and produce an heir within a year to save his family home. Catherine's respectable demeanor hides a secret that would utterly destroy her. But to Leo, Cat is intriguing and infernally tempting, even to a man resolved never to love again. The danger Cat tried to outrun is about to separate them forever – unless two wary lovers can find a way to banish the shadows and give in to their desires...

I'm a big fan of Kleypas. I mean who isn't? But I've always read her contemporaries and had sort of purposefully ignored her historicals. Why? Because I think I could very well find myself reading her entire backlist of books to the exclusion of many other writers. Since I know Kleypas is a big name in romance and doesn't need a review here for people to know she has a book out, I narrowed my reading of her to comtemps because I feel there aren't enough of us singing the praises of the straight-up contemporary and how great they are.

When I received Married by Morning to review I decided to try out a Kleypas historical – and holy crap, what I have been missing! Married by Morning is now seriously in my all-time top books. One reason? LEO! Kleypas might have officially ruined me for all other romance heros. All that come after might see themselves compared to Leo and found lacking. My PERFECT HERO.

I loved almost every single thing about this book – pure perfection for me! Believe it or not, I loved it even more than I have many of her contemporary titles. The ending was slightly off from what I had expected, but not bad or anything that would have ruined the story at all. In fact, I thought there were many parts of the ending that brought the trust and relationship between Cat and Leo full circle.

Now, with all the Leo talk you might think that the heroine Catherine was only so-so or average. She was not at all. In fact, she was an amazingly relatable character that I found loving easy to do. Her quirky nature and imperfect looks – she wears glasses back when I imagine it was not at all fashionable for a women or man – made me root for her to match wits with Leo again and again.

As for the audio book performer Rosalyn Landor? One word: fantastic! Her changes in voice are slight, but you never question who is speaking as she inhabits each character completely. I loved how easily she was able to get across Leo’s cheeky tone when he’s trying to annoy Cat. Rosalyn’s performance really added to my love of both Leo and Catherine.

If you’ve been on the fence about trying audio books, this is one I can 100% say to try. It’s a great one to hear audio books at their best and with a great story to boot.

Again, I can’t say enough about how much I loved this book and now I’m doomed to reading Kleypas’ entire backlist of historicals. I’ve already gotten Love in the Afternoon that I can’t wait to start!

Happy Reading!

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Sharing Some Info on the Book Bloggers & Authors Online Conference

Coming up in August there is going to be a very cool online conference for Book Bloggers and Authors to get together to talk books and book promotion. The conference is only $15 for Bloggers & Authors and you can find out more details and register at: http://bbpcon.blogspot.com/

Here are the details from Terry Kate from Romance in the Backseat:

Authors and Bloggers are both working together online to reach out to readers and spread the word about the books we read and love. We all face challenges with online promotion that can be alleviated by working together. By streamlining the process of co-operative work between Authors and Bloggers we can move forward using social media and online outlets to expose more readers to more books.


*** How this Conference works. The Book Bloggers and Authors Conference is an online event. It will be posted on a private Ning. The panels are live audio using blog talk radio. This allows for the interactive flow of conversation as well as allows for callers to ask questions. While each Panel goes on there is a set chat room allowing attendees to discuss the issue together as they listen. These recorded panels are available to listen to in archive during and after the conference.

We have the tentative schedule for the BBA Online Conference with the announcement of panelists to be added soon. Friday Night and all day Saturday August 6&7 radio panels and live discussions. All Times are EST

Tentative Schedule

FRIDAY 6th
6 - 7pm - EST Opening Event

7 - 7:30pm - Fix Your Facebook - Authors and bloggers, Facebook is important. It is an easy location to use for us to learn about each other. It allows you to use links, display info and get together with readers and other industry folk. Get yours set up the right way and get the biggest benefit from having a Facebook account.

7:30 - 8:30pm - The art of the Review - Hear how reviewers approach writing their reviews as well as authors weigh in on what they look for and appreciate.

8 - 9pm - Be a better guest blogger/how to guest blog - Learn what bloggers and readers are looking for. What is important to include when you guest blog. What is the blogger's part and what is the author's/guest's. How to bring more attention to your guest blogs.

9 - 10:30 - Should Authors Blog - A round table discussion on the benefits and downsides of authors having blogs and what other possibilities are open to them.

SATURDAY 7th
11am - 11:30 EST- Opening Panel

11:30-12:30 - Finding the Right Blogs  - What makes a blog a good match for what you write? How do you find them? What can you do to work with them, how to get in contact, SEO and web search secrets.

12 - 1pm - Approaching Authors and Publishers - Bloggers, how do you approach authors and publishers? What makes your blog stand out to them. ARCs, Authors, Interviews, the important parts and proceedures.

1:30 - 3pm - Time Management - Promotion - This is a good thing for all of us in life. We are bringing in some pros to talk about time management and the benefits it can have on your promotion.

3:30 - 4:30pm - Live Events and Happenings - Important to bloggers AND authors -We need to reach out as authors and bloggers - so lets talk about how to go about it. Book signings, conferences, libraries, book stores and more. Where to go and how to go about it.

5 - 5:30 pm - Get your books Reviewed - Authors roll in getting reviewed and why that is important. Is it all on your pub? What is the proceedure and what falls to the reviewers. Discussing why it is important to get reviewed.

5:00 - 6:00pm - Bloggers Working Together - Co-operation - Blog hops, memes, networking, and reaching out to fellow bloggers. Panelists - Rebecca - Dirty Sexy Books

6:00 - 7:00pm - Blog Tours Pros and Cons - Are they good for bloggers? Do they benefit authors? Hear from bloggers, authors, and those who organize the tours.

7:00 - 8:00pm - What makes a Great Interview- Authors Weigh in on what they like to be asked and bloggers what makes the returned answers stand out. Panelists - Ilona Andrews http://www.ilona-andrews.com/ - Stacia Kane http://www.staciakane.com

9 - 10:30 - How can bloggers and authors do it better? Wrapping up the ideas covered during the conference and discussing the future of Blogger author relations.

Dark Oracle Winner!

It was so fun hosting author Alayna Williams and her post on Tarot Cards and how they helped her with her new release Dark Oracle. Big thanks again to Alayna!

As selected by random.org, the winner of a copy of Dark Oracle is:

Congrats to Busy Working Mama! Please email me your mailing address at cheekyreads @ gmail.com (no spaces) and I'll have Alayna send you the book. Happy Reading!

Monday Morning Cuteness!

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Book Review: Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy

Book Review: Grace Under Pressure 
By: Julie Hyzy 
Berkely Prime Crime Mystery 
4 Heart Review 


Everyone wants a piece of millionaire Bennett Marshfield. owner of Marshfield Manor, and letters are coming in daily from those claiming to be poor relations.  The elderly, reclusive heir trusts no one but his aged curator, Abe. But when Abe is killed in a case of mistaken identity, the tide changes...


Although shaken by the murder, Grace Wheaton, whose lifelong dream has been to work at the manor, steps up to the challenge of assuming Abe's job. But now some of the letters arriving for Bennett have taken a nasty turn, demanding millions - or else. When an uninvited stalker shows up at the manor and at Grace's home, she and handsome grounds-keeper Jack Embers must protect their dear old Marshfield. But to do this, they'll have to investigate a botched Ponzi scheme, some torrid Wheaton family secrets - and sour grapes out for revenge...

As much as I love my romances, I do have a soft spot for really good Cozy Mysteries. Now, when the two genres mix it up, I'm all over it. When I found out that Grace Under Pressure wasn't only a Cozy, but that it also contained a little romance, I really couldn't wait to read it.

The opening scene really pulled me in and was a great introduction to our main character Grace Wheaton and Marshfield Manor, the grand estate where she works as a curator. The scene was a perfect set-up for showing Grace's character and also a little slice of info on the estate.

Julie did a wonderful job tying what were seemingly random events together to create a tangled web of a mystery for Grace to solve.  I loved how Julie expertly placed small nuggets of information that would pop up again as major clues and also the red herons she throws in along the way keep you guessing.

While there is just a hint of romance in this book, I found the growing relationship between Grace and Jack to be extremely interesting and I really want to read the next book to see how it develops. There is a hint of mystery surronding Jack and it not only intriques Grace, it does me too!

A well-written twist of a mystery, Grace Under Pressure was a satisfying cozy that already has me ready for the next in the series. Cozy fans will find much to love about this book and will appreciate some of the larger plot points that will come as a complete surprise.

Tuesday Morning Cuteness!

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Flirting With Forever by Gwyn Cready Winner!

The winner of Flirting with Forever by Gwyn Cready, as selected by Random.org is...

Comment # 1 - Carrie at In The Hammock Blog!

Congrats Carrie - email me your mailing address at cheekyreads @ gmail.com (no spaces) and I'll get the book out to you asap!

Welcome Guest Alayna Williams - Author of Dark Oracle! Enter to Win!

CHALLENGES IN THE CARDS
By Alayna Williams

For DARK ORACLE, I took a different approach to profiling my heroine, Tara. I didn't use any tried-and-true psychological or literary approaches. Instead, I did what Tara would.

I used Tarot cards.

Tara Sheridan swore off criminal profiling after narrowly escaping a serial killer who left her scarred for life. By combining Tarot card divination with her own intuition, find a missing scientist who has unlocked the destructive secrets of dark energy.

The card that came up most often in my random drawings to represent Tara was the Queen of Swords. The Queen of Swords depicts a woman staring pensively into a stormy sky. She’s lifting sword as if it’s quite sharp, and extends her hand as if she’s cut herself with it. The swords, in general, represent intellect. The Queen of swords traditionally represents sadness and mourning or a particularly clever woman. I always associated her with the Snow Queen from fairy tales – cold, isolated, withdrawn. The Queen of Swords became the significator for Tara - an image that focused the rest of my Tarot card readings. Throughout writing DARK ORACLE, whenever I was stuck or needed more information, I'd draw a random card from my Tarot card deck as a story prompt.

I wanted to learn more about the mental, physical, and spiritual challenges facing Tara. So I drew three cards to symbolize the metal, physical, and emotional challenges facing her in the story.

For Tara's mental challenge, I drew the eight of swords. It shows a woman blindfolded and surrounded by sharp swords. The traditional meaning of this card involves imprisonment, crisis and bad news. Tara survived an attack by a serial killer years ago, and the event has left her scarred and in self-imposed exile. Her mental challenge will be to break out of the cycle of the past and see the future.


For Tara's physical challenge, I drew the Tower. The Tower depicts lightning striking a tower and people falling to the ground. The Tower represents the case Tara has been asked to work on, an explosion of a particle accelerator. A scientist who's unlocked the secrets of dark energy has gone missing, and his disappearance could dangerously affect the balance of power in the world.

For Tara's spiritual challenge, I drew the Lovers. It shows a man and woman in an embrace. Tara falls for the federal agent, Harry Li, who's working the missing scientist case. And she falls hard. But she struggles with giving herself over to a relationship, with learning to trust again. When he discovers her unorthodox methods, will Harry be able to trust Tara?

Even Tara can't see that far into the future with her Tarot cards. She'll have to find out by experiencing these challenges, one by one.

Alayna Williams has an MA in sociology-criminology (research interests: fear of crime and victimology) and a BA in criminology. She has worked in and around criminal justice since 1997. Although she does read Tarot cards, she's never used them in criminal profiling or to locate lost scientists. She recently took up astronomy, but for the most part her primary role in studying constellations and dark matter is to follow her amateur astronomer-husband around central Ohio toting the telescope tripod and various lenses. More info is at http://www.alaynawilliams.com/

"Alayna" is also known as Laura Bickle, the author of Embers from Pocket Juno.

What about you - Have you ever tried Tarot Cards? Had your palm read or your future told? Did you read Embers from Alayna's alter ego Laura Bickle? What did you think? (I LOVED IT) Let us know and you'll be entered to win a copy of Dark Oracle from Alayna Williams!

Sorry, contest open to US and Canadian residents only.

Cool Event TONIGHT!

I wanted to share this message I got from Terry at Romance in the Backseat with everyone.

So, signings and live events with authors are pretty cool. Though they can however be hard to get to. So we have technology, why not use it? Tonight is the maiden voyage of the Romance in the Backseat Virtual Events. From here to hope is bigger and better and direct video book signings.



Tonight we are joined by two fabulous authors.


At 9pm EST - Alyxandra Harvey -Author of the Drake Chronicles - Hearts at Stake - Blood Feud


9:30pm EST - Meagan Hatfield - Author of Shadow of the Vampire


They will talk about their new releases, enter the chat room, and take live questions.


The ladies have also generously offered some pretty awesome giveaways - good from now till we announce the winners tonight at 10:30pm EST.


So come check it out and tell us who you might like to hear from.


http://www.romanceinthebackseat.com/signing.html

*** I recomend you get there 15 min early to sign in to the chat room and hear all the special instructions.


I will see you there.


Terry Kate

Book Review: Flirting with Forever by Gwyn Cready & Giveaway!

Book Review: Flirting with Forever
By Gwyn Cready
Pocket Books Romance
4 Heart Review

Art Historian Campbell Stratford is about to make a name for herself with her scandalously sexy tell-all “fictographies” of famous seventeenth-century artists, but she's more intimately familiar with her subjects than her eager readers can imagine. Thanks to a time portal she accidentally discovered, she has caused quite a stir in the Great Beyond. To save their reputations, the Guild protecting dead artists convinces playboy Peter Lely, portraitist to the king, to sabotage Cam's latest project. A few hours posing on Sir Peter's modeling chaise leads to a night of seductive passion – then Cam returns home and discovers his betrayal. But before she can turn her angry pen on her lover, Sir Peter makes a surprise visit to the future and transforms Cam's twenty-first-century life into chaos of classic porportions...

This was my first time reading Gwyn Cready and I really enjoyed her funny voice and interesting characters. She did an especially good job with the hero Peter Lely and I felt like we understood him much more than we did the heroine Cam.

For all of Cam's good points – and there were many – I questioned why she didn't realize her boyfriend was a scumbag or why she allowed her sister to constantly put herself in Cam's way. Somehow those two things didn't mess with the rest of Cam's personality and I wanted to scream at her about them. Cam still managed to win me over and again, had so many good points that those two “off” items didn't bother me that much.

As far fetched as this book sounds, it's such a fun ride that you will suspend your disbelief without any worries as to how the time travel happens. The set-up for the time portal and the Guild that watches over dead artists is original and feels fresh. Who cares about “can this really happen” when you've got a great hero to play with! I love books that allow me to escape the real world and this one did just that with humor and with a surprisingly emotional book.

Embedded in the story is a very emotional and moving look at a man who loved and lost and is willing to give everything up to love again. It's a moving love story with more meat to it than I expected. I will be checking out Gwyn's backlist to read her other time-travel romances since this one was a winner for me.

Have you read a Gwyn Cready book before? Do you like time travel romances? If so, which is your favorite or favorite time travel romance author? Tell me and you'll be entered to win a copy of Flirting with Forever by Gwyn Cready!

Winner annouced Wed. June 30th - Open to US and Canada residents only.

AudioBook Week Winner!

I had a blast being a part of AudioBook Week and want to thank Jen at Devourer of Books for hosting a fantastic week for bloggers to share their love of Audio Books.

I'm pleased to annouce the winner of my AudioBook Week giveway, as selected by Random.org, is comment # 8...


edmontonjb

Congratulations! I will email you with a list of AudioBooks I have for you to select from. You can also email me at cheekyreads @ gmail.com (no spaces) if you read this first.

Thanks to everyone for participating in AudioBook Week and I hope if Cheeky Reads is a new-to-you blog, that you'll stop by again soon!

Happy Reading
Cheeky Girl Sabrina

Audio Book Week: Audio Book Recommendations

Today Audio Book Week is focusing on what Audio Books we would most recommend to readers.

Head over to hostess Devourer of Books website to see her recommendations and check out the Mister Linky for a list from other bloggers to.

Here is my list of some of my favorite Audio Books:

Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas - Narrated by Rosalyn Landor - Brilliance Audio (LOVE this narrator)

The Rachel Morgan Series by Kim Harrison - Narrated by Marguerite Gavin - Tantor Audio (Start with Book 1 - Dead Witch Walking)

The Janissary Tree: A Novel (Yashim the Eunuch) - Narrated by Stephen Hoye - Tantor Audio

The Malory Books by Johanna Lindsey - Narrated by Laural Merlington - Brilliance Audio (Start with Book 1 Love Only Once)

There are so many more, but I don't want to overload you! If you are trying Audio Books for the first time, please take all the blogger recommendations into consideration - especially check out the narrators we list. That should help you make a better first step into filling your free time with even more great books!

AudioBook Week: When & Where Do You Listen? Giveaway!

AudioBook Week (Hosted by the lovely Devourer of Books) continues with today's topic - When/Where do you listen?

I'm excited to hear from other Audio Book lovers where they listen, but I'd also like to ask non-Audio Book listeners if they can think of times in their day where an audio book might be a great fit or help them make it through the day. I'd love to see if we can give suggestions to non-listeners and get them to try out Audio Books.


Personally, the number one spot I listen is in my car on my daily commute to and from work. I seriously hate radio DJ’s and their annoying chatter, but I also never really liked talk radio. At first I thought Audio Books would equate to talk radio, but I was so wrong.

Another awesome time I listen to audio books is on long car rides or vacations. I love picking something the hubby and I might both love and we can share the book together. We don’t have kids, but I can see how cool it might be to pick a book to entertain the entire family on a road trip.

The best guilty pleasure place I listen to Audio Books? While I’m in the tub! You ladies know that when you have water and bubbles it can make reading a book not the most relaxing experience. Who wants to keep wiping their wet hands off in order to turn the page or worry about dropping the book into the water? Putting on an Audio Book lets me relax into the bath and really escape.

So, where do you listen? Give our non-listeners some tips and hints for how Audio Books can expand their reading and make their day better! If you don’t listen to books, what do you think is holding you back? Comment to enter to win a brand new Audio Book from my pile. I’ll email the winner a list to choose from!

Sorry, but contest is open to US and Canada residents only at this time. Winner will be announed on Friday afternoon June 25th.

AudioBook Week: What Do You Want In An AudioBook Review?

Today's AudioBook Week topic is how should bloggers go about writing an Audio review, and what do readers/listeners really want to see in those reviews.

My Audio Reviews have slightly evolved since I started them. My main change has been that lately I've been giving two ratings to my reviews - one for the story and a second one for the narrator. That's because sometimes even the best narrator can't save bad writing and a bad narrator can ruin a well-written book.

Another new addition is adding the running time of the CDs because I think sometimes people want to know how long it will take them to get through a particular book.

One think I really wish I could include in my reviews - an audio excerpt. Even if it was only 10-20 seconds I think just hearing the narrator would help both the review as well as get more readers to try out AudioBooks.

Do you like seeing two ratings for AudioBooks - 1 for the story and 1 for the narrator? What else do you wish was included in an Audio Review? Would you like to hear short excerpts to help you make up your mind?

AudioBook Week! Why AudioBooks?

June is AudioBook month and if you are a frequent visitor to Cheeky Reads you already know how freakin much I love AudioBooks. The awesome Devourer of Books blog decided to host a week of AudioBook themed posts and events and I couldn't pass up spreading the love!

Check out Devourer of Books today to see her latest posts and enter to win some AudioBooks.

For today's post, she asked us to answer the question "Why AudioBooks?"

To answer this question, I think I have to actually talk about how I came to try out listening to AudioBooks. It's not a light story, but I'll try to keep it from going crazy emotional.

My commute to work is about 1 hour each way and a few years ago I would listen to the radio in the morning, but on the way home each night is when I called my Mom. Now, my mom was sick almost my entire life and had been disabled completely from around the time I was 12. It was hard moving away from my parents and the small town I grew up in, but my parents were my best friends and we spoke everyday.

So, never fail, I would call my mom at 6pm every single day. I would get in my car and tell her all about my life, what had happened that day, etc. And being the awesome mom that she was, she listened like no one else could. Before I knew it, I would be home and our conversation would be over. It was like that 1 hour commute was no time at all.

About three years ago my mother passed away. My dad, who was also older and disabled, wasn't available to talk at 6pm becuase he had friends that could only come visit him at that time. So, I found myself for the first time in about 4 years without my best friend to talk to and make that trip home fly by.

A few months passed and I suddenly started to realize something: I would have a great day at work, be excited about something, etc. but by the time I got home I would be depressed, angry, irritable. You name the bad mood. The hubby started asking why I was always snippy when I first got home and it made me realize something was off.

That something was that the long ride home without my mother to talk to was very lonely. It clicked for me that I really needed something to fill that time with, to take my mind off replaying every last conversation I'd had with mom over and over again. I was depressing myself every single day in that car without realizing it.

When I did figure it out, the next time I went to the library I saw the AudioBook section and thought "Why not?" Which was weird since I was a die-hard "You must read the print version" kinda reader.

I was so lucky that day because I happened upon an AudioBook of an unknown to me series, unknown to me author, and in a genre I don't normally read. And it was good. I mean really good. I'd hate to think of what might have happened if that first AudioBook had been bad. And it is true - AudioBooks can be hit or miss the same way printed books can. The wrong narrator can ruin a great story. A good narrator can take a so-so story and make it more compelling or exciting.

If that first AudioBook hadn't been terrific I think I would have missed out on one of my favorite things in the world now - and would have missed out on something that truly saved me.

That's how I think of AudioBooks - as something that saved me from a really bad time in my life. I was able to lose myself in those stories instead of focusing on my loss. I really cannot put into words how much AudioBooks mean to me.  To put it simply - I adore AudioBooks!

Monday Morning Cuteness

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Romance Book Review: Wanted by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Book Review: Wanted! Sons of Chance
By Vicki Lewis Thompson
Harlequin Blaze - June 2010
4 Heart Review

He's everything she's ever wanted...

Photographer Dominique Jeffries has come to Wyoming to find herself - her creative self, her sexual self. After escaping the engagement from hell, she's dying to break loose and live a little. And seducing a shirtless, sweaty cowhand looks like just the place to start...

Nick Chance isn't exactly a cowhand but, hey, he'll be whatever the lady wants! Only he soon realizes that this is more than just a quick roll in the hay. There's something about Dominique that calls to him, something about her that completes him. 

There's only one problem. Dominique wants a fling, not another relationship. 

Little does she guess how easily she'll be persusaded to take a Chance -- again and again and again!

This book starts off seriously hot and never lets up. The heat steams up the pages becuase the chemistry between Nick and Dominique rocks. These characters are perfectly matched both in attitude and sexually.

Vicki Lewis Thompson is one of my all-time favorite writers and although this is much different from her Nerd or Hex series, her voice still shines through. It's a wonderfully crafted story full of great characters and you will smile as you read it.

One theme that Vicki seems to use in some of her books is that it's the heroine who doesn't want to commit. These heroines know what they want and at first it doesn't include a relationship. I love that! It's a nice change from books where the heroine is pinning for the hero who doesn't want more than a roll in the hay until the end of the book.

This book was so good I read it straight through - love how I can do that with a good Harlequin. I loved all the characters, it was very steamy, and had a great ending. And lets not forget about that cover - I think Vicki scored one of the best covers I've seen in a long time! It surely inspires you as you read the book to imagine the photos that Dominique takes of Nick.

If you've ever wondered if a Harlequin can be hot enough for you, check this book out!


Have you ever read a Harlequin Blaze? Anything by Vicki Lewis Thompson? Let me know if you have and what you thought.

Book Review: Embers by Laura Bickle

Book Review: Embers
By Laura Bickle
Juno - Pocket Books - Urban Fantasy
4 Heart Review

Truth Burns. 

Unemployment, despair, anger -- visible and invisible unrest feed the undercurrent of Detroit's unease. A city increasingly invaded by phantoms now faces a malevolent force that further stokes fear and chaos throughout the city. 

Anya Kalinczyk spends her days as an arson investigator with the Detroit Fire Department, and her nights pursuing malicious spirits with a team of eccentric ghost hunters. Anya -- who is the rarest type of psychic medium, a Lantern -- suspects a supernatural arsonist is setting blazes to summon a fiery ancient entity that will leave the city in cinders. By Devil's Night, the spell will be complete, unless Anya -- with the help of her slamander familar and the paranormal investigating team -- can stop it. 

Anya's accustomed to danger and believes herself inured to loneliness and loss. But this time she's risking everything: her city, her soul, and a man who sees and accepts her for everything she is. Keeping all three safe will be the biggest challenge she's ever faced.

Wow! That's the only way I could think to start this review. This is an amazing, blow your mind if you love Urban Fantasy, debut novel by Laura Bickle.

I literally had to look three times to remind myself that this was a debut novel. The world-building is so compelling and fastinating, that I felt there was no way this was her first book!

This quote from M.L.N Hanover, bestselling author of Darker Angels, from the front cover really hit the nail on the head.

"Bickle has something great in Anya. Embers has everything: demons, ghosts, dragons, love, sex, police, and murder."

I agree - Anya is both a unique and kick-ass heroine. I cannot wait for more of her and the band of ghost hunters she reluctantly tags along with. One of the best Urban Fantasy heroines to come around in a long time, I felt Laura did an amazing job of making Anya something new in the Urban Fantasy world, but that she also made her incredibly real and honest.

Anya's feelings fill every page and carry you along her journey - I felt connected to her and that's totally a credit to how great Laura's writing and characterizations are. Likewise, the rest of the cast of characters are just screaming for more play time - including Anya's familiar salamander Sparky.

I cannot wait for the next book in the series, Sparks, to release so I can see what happens to Anya next and how she develops. I think once I've read the next book, I'll be able to say if I think Laura has created something I would put on par with Kim Harrison and Karen Marie Moning in terms of my love of the world-building.

I highly recommend this book if you love real Urban Fantasies. Do yourself a favor and check it out - it's not a light-hearted book, but a fantastic read.

Do you read Urban Fantasy? Do you like them darker, or with some romance thrown in. Do you think a story can be a true Urban Fantasy without a little bit of grit?

Monday Morning Cuteness - In Honor of The World Cup...

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Romance Book Review: The Prince's Royal Concubine by Lynn Raye Harris

 Book Review: The Prince's Royal Concubine
By: Lynn Raye Harris
Harlequin Presents June 2010
3 Heart Review


Two glittering royal houses...


Prince Cristiano di Savare hunts his prey by ruthless means. Tonight's pickings -- Antonella Romanelli, crown princess of a rival country and part of a dynasty he has every reason to despise...


One majestic seduction...

Antonella is rocked by Cristiano's unexpected magnestism. But there's ice in his wolfish smile...She's far from the promiscuous spoiled socialite he believes her to be, but Cristiano is here to persuade her into compliance. If bedding her is what it takes, then it will make his mission all the more pleasurable...

I have to start this review by saying that although I adore Harlequins, Presents is not my go-to line. I'm a Blaze girl through and through with a little Intrigue thrown in. I absolutely love how fulfilling these stories are, without needing more than just a few hours to read one.

Harlequins are my way of fitting in awesome love stories even when I'm slammed by work or my daily life. A few stolen moments here and there and I've experienced a satisfying romance without having to "find time."

I have read and enjoyed many a Harlequin Presents through the years, even if they aren't my favorite. I tend to like my heroines with a little more spunk, world experience and my heros a little less domineering. An alpha male hero can be a great thing, if the motivation is right, but some Presents miss the mark for me.

I thought it was important to mention that before reviewing a Presents title. The nature of the line kinda means that the chances of one of its books blowing me away are slim. BUT, for some the Presents line is the bees knees so I wanted ove disclosure at the start of this review.

Lynn does an excellent job with writing this story and somehow manages to create a Presents heroine I'm not yelling at to get a backbone! In fact, I really loved the character of Antonella and felt very sympatheic to her story and how she was trying to help her country.

The hero Cristiano was a little harder for me becuase of his ruthlessness toward Antonella at the beginning of the story, but his true colors did show through quickly and he proved to be a sort of rescuing knight - one with ruinious seduction in mind, but still a knight that wouldn't leave a lady to die or fend for herself.

Since I'm a Harelquin fangirl, I'm well aware that the stories happen in a much shorter time frame than your normal romance, but in this instance it was the one thing that didn't really work for me. With Cristiano and Antonella's time together so limited, and with started off with so much hate between them, I couldn't take the leap to believing that Antonella was in love with him.

Maybe if Antonella had taken longer to come to that realization the story would have worked better for me, becuase everything else was there. Good characters, great plot, a good amount of chemistry and conflict. Very well done, I just needed more between them before she falls in so deep.

I give this a 3 Heart Review, but if Presents was more my style it could easily have been a 4. A good read from an author I'm looking forward to seeing more from!