Kat loved Brock when she was a teenager and he broke her heart... not once, but twice. So ten years later on the eve of Kat's wedding when he wades in from the sea onto a beach occupied only by Kat, she's going to need to keep her senses to keep from being swept away by Brock.
Brock is in the middle of a mission and doesn't need any distractions. But when he discovers Kat on a private tropical island, he decides that a little hot and sweaty fun might be in order since they are stranded. And he's not about to let her engagement to a man she doesn't love stand in the way of making up for his past rejection of her.
I could not put this book down. I was drawn in from the first page, which happened to be a flash back to a teenage Kat on her high school graduation day. I enjoyed the characters and the situation Ms. Blake placed them in. The isolated tropical island, a couple bad guys hunting down Brock, a little suspense and a red-hot romance make for an intriguing story. I think my only complaint is that I figured out who the mastermind criminal was almost from the minute he was introduced. Granted he wasn't the smartest criminal, but it would've been nice to have been in the dark a little longer. That said, this one thing did not diminish my enjoyment of the book. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on my books from Ms. Blake and highly recommend this one.
Angel Lane is a feel-good book that shouldn't be missed and is a perfect read for the upcoming Christmas holiday season.
The town of Heart Lake is losing that treasured small-town feeling that many of its residents cherish. So friends, and shop owners, Sarah, Emma and Jamie take it into their own hands to make a difference. They start the movement "keep the heart in Heart Lake" with the hopes that good deeds would be paid forward by those who had received the gesture.
But what book is without conflict. As the ladies try to get their movement off the ground they have to deal with professional and personal problems. Sarah has an overzealous neighbor, an marriage losing its passion and is missing her grandchildren. Emma is alone and facing the closing of her quilt shop. And Jamie is recovering from an abusive marriage and tempted by the local widowed cop and his children.
I was very happy to have been asked to read and review this book. Once I got started I didn't want to put it back. Sheila's writing just drew me in and made me care about the characters and hope for a perfect ending. I highly recommend this book to those who love a good heartwarming tale.
And I'm giving away my advanced reading copy to a lucky blog reader. Either leave a comment here or on our guest blog with Sheila before Thursday, October 29. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment or send a message to contests.bookblog@gmail.com.
When Darren Michaels approached me about reviewing Flipside Erotica, I was intrigued with the concept. In his book he takes various erotic encounters and tells then from both sides of the story.
I decided to read the "male" point of view stories first. All the tales feature Darren as the "hero". I found these rather interesting since there aren't many erotica books out there told from a man's view and written by a man. The stories seemed to flow and drew me in.
Then I moved on the the "woman's" point of view. Each story featured a different woman and her liaison with Darren. This was when the book started to let me down. We had all the same scenarios, but they didn't have the same appeal. Much of the thoughts running through the ladies' heads seemed awkward and forced. It also may be just been my .pdf copy of the book, but the editing on this half of the book seemed sub-par.
Overall, I did enjoy the book. The scenarios were interesting (however, mentioning of safe sex practices might have been a smart idea as I don't remember one condom being mentioned in the whole book) and the sex scenes were quite hot. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for insight into the male's mind when it comes to sex. And also suggest keeping a fan, cup of ice water or an adult toy nearby if your partner isn't available.
Review by Jamaica Layne
Rating: 4 Stars
I have to say I was somewhat skeptical when I picked up this book. First, I'm usually not a fan of books that are tag-team written by two authors. In my experience, books that have multiple authors are usually a muddle of different voices working against each other. Plus, book is about a three-way marriage----and the book's cover makes no secret about its subject matter, with a tuxedoed groom with a white-gowned bride on each arm. I'm not usually a fan of the love-triangle story, so I went into this book waving a lot of red flags around. But Dow and Poole's tight, focused writing, along with their very original take on the old love-triangle theme, make this book well worth a read.
The plot centers around Dwight Wilson, a successful software executive, his longtime wife Tracey, and his newfound love Alicia, whom he meets when he has to move away from his home in Jacksonville, Florida to Washington DC as part of a job transfer. Tracey is settled into her life in Florida and refuses to move to Washington, forcing Dwight to enter into a long-distance marriage. The marriage begins to fall apart, and Dwight begins romancing Alicia Dixon on the side. Dwight files for divorce, and he marries Alicia when his divorce is final so they can both begin a new life in Washington---or so he thinks. But unbeknownst to him, back in Florida Tracey contests the divorce at the last possible second and it doesn't go through---making Dwight a bigamist. All manner of shenanigans occur, to the point that when Tracey and Dwight find out that their "husband" is simultaneously married to two different women, they decide to try out a "three-way" marriage arrangement so they can both keep their man. But guess what? It doesn't work. The whole arrangement falls apart in the most catastrophic way possible.
Dow and Poole made clever use of their different writing styles and author voices by having the narrative switch back and forth between the two women in the love triangle. This works very well. Each chapter is dedicated either to Tracey---the longtime, settled wife and mother----or Alicia, the "other woman" who becomes a wife and mother herself---offering the reader a chance to get inside both women's heads. Though the plot becomes more and more implausible---almost soap-opera-like at times----Dow and Poole's unique voices and strong characterizations keep the reader hooked at all times. Perhaps the book's greatest strength is its snapshot-like ability to capture the nuances of upper-class African-American society, along with its biting social commentary on some of that segment of society's traditions, taboos, and unspoken rules of love and marriage.
We Take This Man is a complex-yet-satisfying tale that asks a lot of tough moral questions, and resolves those questions in ways that you probably won't expect. Authors Dow and Poole make up a unique and memorable writing team. Definitely pick this one up---you won't regret it!
Review by Caffey (http://caffeys-reads.blogspot.com/)
Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues by Jacquie Rogers is one funny and romantic contemporary western romance book! A rodeo clown crew who performs for the audiences at rodeos is made up of a mule Socrates, a descent-ed skunk Guinevere, a Australian Shepard Dog Perseus, a half Collie and Half Bloodhound dog Beauty, and even a porcupine named Mrs. Pretty Bottom along with their boss, clown, and rodeo cowboy, Brody. With adventures, romance and comedy, Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues is a creative and unique romance read with a 'pick me up feel good read'!
Set in a town called Gasmer in Idaho, the hero in Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues, Brody Alexander, is a rodeo cowboy on the mend from a recent rodeo injury. Having a past of numerous broken bones and injuries that he had endured through the years from his profession, he continues to work as a Rodeo Clown as he heals. Brody and his hired hand Luke are assisting their neighbor Judy when Rita returns home for a visit to help her mom through a surgery. While home again, Rita is facing many memories of a difficult past of memories of her dad, that creep up on her more and more and she's determined to return back to a city with a more modern living and her career in a business field. She's also engaged to a man named David, who also requires Rita's attention and time. Rita also has her hopes up high to set up a home for children in Gasmer while she is visiting, so that children had a home to stay where they had the support of their own town, community and friends.
Brody's mule Socrates is a leader of the rodeo crew of animals and guides his crew as a team to lead Brody into a romance. Each chapter starts with the mule's thoughts and ideas on putting plans into place to put Brody and Rita together. With a whole bunch of laughter throughout the book from their antics, there is never a dull moment! Topping that with a romance of Brody and Rita, who also bring laughter and comedy into the story with their romance, there is another tender romance and story about Rita's mom Judy that was so fitting and important in this book. Brody too has a past that no one knows of and never wants to be known, but things start to crumble little by little that is making him face this all. Brody's love for the outdoors, his animals, his ranch and his career as a rodeo rider is one that he wants to remain in, while Rita wants to run from. Also fitting was a single character Phyllis that I can envision in a future book with the things she did for her community and the children. Here's hoping her story will be told some day too.
Even with the great elements of the animals in this book, there is an outstandingly written romance of Brody and Rita that is a huge part within this book. Being an emotionally involved story and romance many feelings will be felt for both Rita and Brody as they are surrounded by and continue to endure issues from their past as well as growth in their relationship. This all makes for a very moving romance. When together, Brody and Rita's romance was very intense throughout the book. The tension of the romance was also growing and building as they slowly let down the resistances that were keeping them from being together. With Rita's facing her past with her dad, previous rejection and jealousy of Brody, their love grows as they both faces the truth as well as understanding of what their future holds for them. There was no way to give this book, Down Home Ever Lovin' Mule Blues anything lower than an A. It had so much in this book that the reader will be thinking about this book, scenes and characters for days and weeks to come after reading it. Again, a beautiful romance!
Amanda Feral, our zombie heroine, is going on a road trip from Seattle to South Dakota to have closure with her mother who is dying. But she and her friends (including another zombie, a vampire and ghost) end up on the run from an angry vampire and his werewolf goons, picking up a couple humans and encountering a plethora of paranormal beings.
I was excited to have the opportunity to get an advance copy of this book when Mark and I were setting up his promo on the blog. Urban Fantasy is right up the alley of books I enjoy reading. But unfortunately I had trouble getting through the book, only finishing it last night.
Don't get me wrong, the book wasn't bad... in fact, I found the premise intriguing. Just something about it didn't agree with me. Part of it could be the language and a lot of it was the gore. And I found the footnotes (yes, footnotes in fiction) to be overused and often distracting. But I think the turn off for me was Amanda. I have to like the main characters in the book to enjoy it and more often than not I couldn't like Amanda. I didn't enjoy her sense of humor and snarkiness. And that made for a rough read.
This is the second book of Amanda's memoirs, following Happy Hour of the Damned. I admit that I felt like I was always a step behind because I haven't read the first book in the series... and recommend that if you're going to try these books, going in order is probably the way to go.
The blurb from the back of the book:
On Jill Morgan Storm's fortieth birthday, she declares she is through with love. A conviction well justified, considering her first husband didn't leave her for another woman; he became one! More recently, her love affair came to a screeching halt when her lover dumped her for a young undergraduate. To make matters worse, the teeny-bopper stole Jill's "well-seasoned" frying pan, and when you're a sous chef, that's no small offense; it's a major felony.
When financial obligations threaten her son's dream of attending art school, Jill and her friends devise a foolproof plan to audition candidates for a new husband. The search for Mr. Right is on.
There is one problem, however. His name is Davin Wesley, an annoying third-grade schoolteacher, who relentlessly plagues her days, haunts her nights, and propels her libido into overdrive. She knows he is absolutely, undeniably wrong for her. So why, then, does Mr. Wrong take her breath away, curl her toes, and give her a hot flash every time she sees him? More importantly, what will she do if Mr. Wrong is actually Mr. Right?
I do remember being hesitant when I started. Kathy herself labeled the book as Mom-lit / Women's Fiction. Maybe it's because I've read some clunkers in those "genres" that I was nervous. But she did assure me there was romance, which I have to have when I read these sorts of books. So I started reading and the comedic situations really drew me in and made me forget genre. Then the romance was snuck in and I was a totally happy camper. I found this book to be a page turner and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a light, humorous tale. I am looking forward to reading more from Kathy Carmichael. Read More......
Here's the blurb from Amazon.com:
Sexual healing...there's nothing like it. And Ecstasy Island is where it happens. Meet two heroes who know exactly how to vanquish a woman's every fear and teach her to love - and fully live - again. But this erotic escape is by invitation only...Chris Cavanaugh considers it his calling to breathe new life into women with troubled pasts. From the moment he brings Claire Vaughn to the beautiful but isolated outpost of Ecstasy Island, he's surprised by her strength and spirit - and held captive by her sensual imagination and skill, night after night after night...Treah Baldwin believes in greeting each one of the women sent to him to be healed with a literal sexual awakening. His hands-on technique does wonders for body and soul. Dana Lancer has never experienced anything like it. Finding scorchingly hot erotic bliss in his muscular arms becomes a reality straight out of her wildest dreams...
Escape to Ecstasy is a two story anthology revolving around healers at an exclusive island resort. The concept is intriguing. The characters are a little on the unbelievable side, but likable. The best part of the book is the hot sex scenes. In fact, the whole plot revolves around those hot scenes. Take out the lust and sex and the book is pretty thin on plot.
Here's the blurb from the back of the book:
Miranda Johanson has had a very bad day. The straight-laced uber-conservative stock-market analyst has lost eight million dollars of her clients' money. If that weren't enough, she also just had wild, no-holds-barred sex with a complete stranger on her coffee break ... And that complete stranger turned out to be her new boss.
Hot sex, interesting characters, unique plot. I found it to be a pretty quick read and engaging enough for me to not want to put it down until I was done. My only issue with the book is that it's marketed as an erotic romance. It's definitely erotic, but I felt the romance part was a little lacking. Miranda and her stranger, Max, meet in the first chapter and by the end of the 250 pages they're in love. They have obstacles aplenty to overcome as they get to that point... but I never really felt that "ah-ha, we're in love" moment in the story, which is what really makes or breaks a book for me. But if you look past the romance aspect, Jamaica Layne as a pretty solid story in Market for Love.
Review by C.K. Laurence
Katie Cramer runs away from her dull life “balls out,” after a near fatal accident. Looking for the adventure she had never allowed herself, Katie answers an ad for a temporary office manager at Wilder Adventures in the town of Wishful. Imagine her reaction when, during the first night in her cabin she awakens to see ruggedly handsome Olympic champion Cam Wilder standing over her bed!
Wilder has returned from a year-long journey to find himself following a life shattering snowboarding wreck. His two brothers, Stone and T.J., and Aunt Annie who raised him, are thrilled to have him home and put him right to work at the family business Wilder Adventures—where neither he nor Katie can escape one another.
The story follows Cam and Katie’s battle against the growing attraction between them. The two face obstacles from every direction as they fight to take back their lives and find passion and love along the way. Of course there is the formula ex-girlfriend to complicate matters and one family crisis after another to keep the plot moving. Did I mention that there is lots of hot sex between the couple?
Instant Attraction had me turning the pages to see if and how the couple would succeed, and I must admit I could not put it down. The only thing that niggled at total enjoyment was Shavis’ obsession with green eyes and Cam’s amazing body. I found myself wanting to say “Okay, I get it. I get it!” It wasn’t so bad that it stopped me from plowing through the novel in only two days, though.
For anyone looking for a romantic read with plenty of action, warmth and some big smiles, I can tell you this—Shavis next novel is a sequel involving Cam’s brother Stone, and I have every intention of reading it.
Reviewed by Jamaica Layne (http://www.jamaicalayne.com)
It had been a long time since I curled up with a novel from Harlequin's red-hot Blaze line, so when the good folks at Book Talk asked me to review this book as my first guest review on the blog, I jumped at the chance. It had been quite a while since I'd read any series romance at all; in fact, so I was curious if the line had changed any in the four or five years it's been since I last read it. As an erotic romance author myself, I'd been a fan of Blaze (Harlequin's sexiest line of traditional romances until they began the Spice line a year or two ago) from its earliest days.
If Lisa Renee Jones' Lone Star Surrender is any example, it seems Harlequin has turned up the heat in its Blaze line considerably. The book opens with a sex scene, in fact---and this is no ordinary sex scene, either. The book's heroine, Nicole Ward, a federal prosecutor in South Texas about to try the case of her career, meets a mysterious and sexy Latino man in a crowded bar, who without even giving his name, brings her to orgasm right in the middle of the bar. Nicole----freshly divorced and on the lookout for a one-off fling---doesn't yet know that this mysterious man is going to be a very big part of her life very soon.
Nicole is about to prosecute a sinister drug lord named Alvarez. The feds have been building a case against him for three years, and Nicole is literally risking her life trying the case. After a threat on her life by one of Alvarez' men, she is placed under FBI protection until the trial begins by one of the undercover agents who helped the feds infiltrate Alvarez' drug empire. To Nicole's shock and surprise, the undercover agent assigned to protect her is none other than the mysterious stranger she hooked up with in the bar a night earlier. His name is Constantine Vega, and he's a dark, mysterious man, far more than Nicole ever bargained for.
Lone Star Surrender is a cross between a traditional sexy romance and a suspense thriller. The story is fast-paced and addictive as it follows Nicole and Constantine as they try to evade Alvarez' assassins before Nicole has a chance to try and convict him. There are machine-gun-filled ambushes, sex-filled hideouts in caves, dirty cops and corrupt lawyers----along with plenty of red-hot sex. I had trouble putting this book down. Still, there are a few continuity issues (one scene has Nicole and Constantine seemingly trapped inside a desert shack while surrounded by gunmen; yet on the next page, they somehow have escaped to the woods, but no explanation is given how they managed it).
Despite a few rough patches, Lone Star Surrender is an engaging, entertaining read. I'll look forward to Lisa Renee Jones' next book.
Lone Star Surrender, by Lisa Renee Jones. (Harlequin Blaze #442- January '09). Paperback, $4.99.
Rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Kay Thomas is going to be the guest at Book Talk this weekend (January 10-11). In preparation for the promo, she sent me a copy of Better Than Bulletproof to send to our contest winner. As it sat on my shelf waiting to be passed along to that lucky blog reader, it kept grabbing my attention. Wanting a short read, I picked it up. And to whoever wins the contest, don't worry... I didn't even crack the spine. :)
I have to say that I was very happy with my decision to read Better Than Bulletproof. Kay Thomas created a wonderful story with interesting characters and a edge-of-your-seat plot. I found it to be quite the page turner and didn't want to put the book down. It was also a tear jerker. I had to keep that box of tissues handy for most of the second half of the book.
I highly recommend picking up this book, and I for one and anxiously awaiting her next book!
From the back cover:
WHAM, BAM, NO THANK-YOU, MA'AM
That about sums up the sex life of Claire Doolittle, not-so-happily-married to Jack--once the man of her dreams but now a modern-day version of the bossy, dull Ward Cleaver of '50s sitcom fame--Claire is at the end of her rope. Gone are the glorious days of flings in elevators and broom closets. And Jack? All he needs is a cardigan and a billowing pipe to become the domineering father figure Claire never wanted. And looking at her body in the mirror, Claire would cast herself as Lumpy. They'd once had a world of color, of wanton frivolity. Now, life's black and white: a sitcom in reruns. A not-very-funny sitcom. Cue an old boyfriend--the "one that got away"--throw in a predatory hottie who's set her sights on our leading man, and watch Claire's world spiral out of control. In the old TV show, the Beaver always got a happy ending. Stay tuned.
I'd been eyeing this book for a while. The title just caught my eye and pulled me in. So when Jenny and I started talking about her guesting on the blog she offered me the chance to review the book. I jumped at the chance... and I'm glad I did. (But totally wishing I wrote this review right after reading and not a month later.)
The book starts off a little slow, but just when you don't think Claire's life can get any more tangled... it does and the pace picks up. I'll admit in the beginning of the book I started to have doubts about where it was going. I worried when the old boyfriend entered the scene and more than once wanted to smack Claire for being a little whiny. But those feelings were shoved to the side as I laughed over Claire's antics and cried as she reminisced about the early days of her marriage and the deterioration of the relationship. I enjoyed going on the roller coaster ride of emotions and always find it a good thing that I care what happens to the characters.
Jenny Gardiner is going to be Book Talk's guest next week, December 15 to 18. She'll be stopping by to answer your questions as well as giving away a copy of the book to a random commenter. And who knows, I might give away my copy as well.
A few weeks ago, Jen interviewed Matthew Cory about his book Like Glass, and I had the privilege to be the first (between Jen and I) to read the book.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Well that's seems kind of harsh because I wasn't expecting the book to fail or anything. I guess I just didn't know what to expect, but I really enjoyed the book.
This is Matthew Cory's synopsis of the book:
That's what Like Glass starts off with -- Rob Jackson gets a phone call from his brother's wife, Janet, letting him know that his brother is dead. Rob had been hoping for that call for a long time, because a few years ago, he and Janet had been briefly (but fiercely) in love, and he never forgave his brother for stealing her from him. He goes up to Washington state (where Janet lives) for the funeral, and things just kinda go downhill from there. It's really a great story; I just hope I did it justice in being the one to write it.My thoughts:
What I loved most about this book was how unpredictable it was. I would read some and think... Ok, I know where this is going, but I was always wrong. It reminds me of an M. Night Shyamalan movie (Sixth Sense or Signs) minus the aliens. I don't want to really add more details than Cory himself mentioned for fear that I will give too much of the story away. Just check it out for yourself! I would really love to hear what other readers have to say about this book.
Like Glass... check it out! Read More......
A couple months ago I received Eve Silver's newsletter and she mentioned that she had a new book coming out in November. So, I decided to contact her about coming on the blog to promo the book. And to my excitement, she said yes AND she asked me if I'd like to review Demon's Hunger. OK, now is when I admit that I ended up on Eve's mailing list because I had entered a contest on her site, but I'd never read any of her books. So, before I could read Demon's Hunger I had to get my hands on a copy of the first book on the series, Demon's Kiss.
This series is about a brotherhood called the Compact of Sorcerers who are sworn to protect humans from the demon realm. These men are immortal and have extraordinary and specialized powers to help them in their battle. And they are tortured souls, for how can we have a romance without external and internal conflict?
In Demon's Hunger we have Dain Hawkin's story. Dain's fight with the demons is quite personal since they killed his mortal wife and child centuries before. So, when he meets Vivien Cairn he doesn't want to be so completely drawn to her. And Vivien feels the same way since she's not had the best of luck with any sort of relationship since everyone seems to abandon her.
Let me start of by saying that I'm loving this series. I like this paranormal world that Eve Silver has created. It almost seems possible that there are demons and hybrids (half demon/half human, for lack of a better explanation) living among us. Her heroines are strong women and face their challenges and shortcomings head on with little complaint, which is quite refreshing. Demon's Hunger kept me enraptured and turning the pages. I didn't want to put the book down because I wanted to know what happened next without any delay. I highly recommend this series, and reading them in order (although the books do stand completely on their own).
If you'd like a copy of this book, Eve will be joining us at Book Talk from Monday, November 24 through Thursday, November 27 with an interview and excerpt from the book. If you leave a comment on her interview or excerpt, you'll be entered in a drawing for a copy of Demon's Hunger. So, stop by next week and comment to win a truly excellent read.
Maggie swallowed as saliva pooled in her mouth. After seventeen years of celibacy, she was afraid. Afraid of looking silly. Afraid of the intensity. Afraid of another man seeing her body. She wasn’t twenty anymore. She’d had a child. She’d aged. And his body was youthful and perfect.
“Maggie?”
Nate called as he came in the door and she couldn’t stop the flood of welcome that rushed through her. When had she started truly looking forward to his return every day?
“I’m in here.”
She let out a slow breath. This was silly. He was only a man. This was only a crazy reaction to having him so close; to being alone together.
She hefted the laundry basket, settling it on her hip. It wasn’t in her to make the next move. No matter how much she wanted to.
She turned the corner into the kitchen, the basket sliding off her hip to the floor as she saw his face.
“Have you got bandages, Maggie?”
His voice was calm, reasonable, but all Maggie saw was blood streaming from a gash that ran down his forehead to just below his eyebrow.
“Maggie. Bandages.”
She sprang into action, the sight of the cut always before her eyes as she ran to the bathroom for the first aid kit.
When she came back, he’d pulled out a kitchen chair and sat in it. Maggie grabbed an ivory hand towel from the spilled basket and immediately pressed it to the cut, staunching the blood as it seeped darkly through the cotton. “Hold this for a minute.”
She opened the kit and saw her fingers trembling. He was fine, it was just a cut, she reassured herself. But seeing the blood, the open gash, had sent pins and needles through her extremities. What if he had a concussion, or needed stitches?
She looked up, gauze and scissors in her hand, and watched as Nate’s face paled and he weaved slightly.
She dropped the items to the floor and knelt before him, pressing one hand to the towel and the other to the back of his head, pushing him forward.
“Put your head between your knees,” she commanded, hoping to God he didn’t pass out or get sick. Either one might mean concussion.
He obeyed, saying nothing.
“Take slow, deep breaths, Nate.”
She moved to the side a bit, still holding the towel to the wound and rubbing a hand over his shoulders. The movement gave her time to find her own bearings, and she realized something shocking.
In the instant she’d seen his blood, known he was injured, her only thoughts had been for him. Not of Tom. Not of Jen. Not of fear born from years of loss and anxiety. But for him.
It was more than lust, more than feeding a hunger. It was Nate, the man, and he inspired feelings Maggie had thought long extinct. For her, it had suddenly become much deeper and meaningful. And complicated.
I was lucky to receive an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of this book from Alison Kent with the understanding that I would review it before it's December release. So, I read it this past week and here are my thoughts...
Finn is in Miami on a PI assignment-- to dig into the personal life of Roland for a potential suitor. But when Olivia, Roland's boss, spots Finn staking out her boutique, she approaches him about a photographic project that she wants to undertake.
That is the blurb condensed down to two sentences. Problem is, that's only half the story. The other half of the story deals with Roland and his life and love interest, Jodi.
I rather wish Finn and Olivia's romance was explored a little more. Roland and Jodi got a lot more time than I felt a sub-plot (and one that wasn't even mentioned in the blurb) deserved. Characters, relationship and plot probably could have been developed more if they were given more time and both stories would have excelled if they were given their own books.
All that said, I did like the book. It's the first full length Alison Kent novel that I've read and I'm intrigued and want to read more by her. Word of warning, this a pretty spicy book, so if you don't like to read about bedroom play, you'll probably want to pass on by.
It's Jane's birthday and everyone has forgotten her. So, she's decided to take the day and celebrate by doing things she's always wanted to do. One of those things was to kiss a handsome stranger... but she chickens out and takes his picture instead. Mitch catches Jane snapping the picture and confronts her. The attraction between the strangers flair, but Mitch puts a time limit on their time together--one night. However, things never go as planned.
Kate is visiting our blog during the week of August 4. When she approached me about doing an interview, I had to confess that I hadn't read any of her books. She very graciously sent me a copy of One Night, One Baby, which has just released. I absolutely devoured the book. I couldn't put it down. I just had to know how Jane and Mitch were going to put aside their differences and get together (because you knew they were going to... it's a romance after all!). I fell in love with the characters and were rooting them on. Kate put a fun spin on the classic "oops we got pregnant" plot line, which I adored.
Oh and did I mention that when Kate is here, she's going to give away a copy of this book? Stop by next week and comment to win!
Over the years I'd heard a lot of people rave about this series and I was reluctant to read it. I was the same with the Harry Potter books, which I love. But I digress. A couple years ago, I was reading a book while I was getting my hair colored. The stylist asked me about the book and we started talking about books in general and she brought up the Stephanie Plum series. I asked her to tell me more about the books and what's so good about them. I don't remember her answer, but it was enough to get me to check out the first book in the series.
One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, No. 1)was a fun novel. It was a little rough, but the humor and characters hooked me and I was soon reading through the books at lightning speed. The library couldn't keep up with me so I started buying the books. I even hooked both my sisters and Jessica on the series.
But somewhere around book 9 the series started to lose it's freshness and appeal. I can't even read the "between the numbers" books anymore (I tried reading the last one... Jessica review it, I lost interested in the first 20 pages). How long can we watch Stephanie vacillate between Joe and Ranger? How many times can she completely bungle a job and not lose her job or get seriously injured? How many cars and buildings can she blow up? I keep buying the books in hopes that the spark will come back and everything will be right in Stephanie's world again.
But alas, it doesn't happen in this book. I bought it the week it was released. It sat on my desk and my sister saw it while visiting and took it home. When she returned it, she mentioned that she was disappointed. It was an OK book, she was just expecting more. My other sister then grabbed the book and came back with the same report.
I started the book yesterday, finished this morning and I'm sorry to say that I can't report a more favorable opinion. Ranger was almost non-existent. Joe's gotten too soft over the years. Lula's gone off the deep end. And then there was this really annoying character named Brenda. I kept picturing Dolly Parton with a Whitney Houston (very diva) attitude. I wanted her gone almost immediately and was happy when those scenes were over.
I suppose what I'm saying in this rant is that if you're a long time fan of the series, keep your expectations low as you read. If you haven't read this series yet, I wouldn't start with this one. Try some of the earlier stuff first. And a note to Janet... I know this is a money maker for you. But it's about time to start wrapping the series up and start something new before you lose your fan base.
Hades has given ex-dream hunter Xypher a month to exact his revenge on the woman who sent him to Tartarus. But he ends up chained, literally, to a woman who sees dead people. Simone is suddenly being hunted by demons and Xypher needs her help. And to top everything off, love is in the air.
OK, so I'm not great at summarizing a good... and one that was read at least a month ago. But I do remember loving the story. It was nice to see the a return to the world of the Dark-Hunters and we got a surprise visit from Acheron (whose story is to be released in August!). The characters were unique and the plot was interesting. I was glad that Ms. Kenyon bounced back after the train wreck of Upon the Midnight Clear. This one is a winner.