Author: Kimberly

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Kimberly’s review of A Passion For Him by Sylvia Day

TITLE: A Passion For Him
AUTHOR: Sylvia Day
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/29/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Miss Amelia Benbridge is ready to leave behind a past filled with heartbreak for a sensible marriage. Until temptation itself comes calling, with an invitation to seduction…

She Loved and Lost Him Once…

Amelia Benbridge and the Earl of Ware are the most anticipated match of the Season. Lord Ware is handsome, wealthy, and kind, and he understands that her love will always belong to her childhood sweetheart, Colin. When Colin died, Amelia believed she would never feel such passion again. But her primal reaction to the brooding stranger who approaches her at a masquerade, coaxing her into a moonlit minuet and a single, sensual kiss, proves otherwise…

Colin Mitchell knew a pairing between a peer’s daughter and a gypsy stable boy was impossible. Amelia’s mistaken belief in his demise afforded him the opportunity to return to her as a man of means. But time has slipped through his fingers. She is preparing to wed another, and danger prevents him from revealing the truth. Colin can only bid her a secret farewell, but he underestimates her determination to unmask her phantom admirer. A forbidden kiss leads to her ardent pursuit and a soul-scorching affair. Amelia is perfectly attuned to his every desire, every thought—and hungry for stability he can’t offer her. For deception lies at the heart of their love, waiting to drive them apart once again…

REVIEW:
I really did not enjoy this book. I couldn’t stand the fact that Colin doesn’t just tell Amelia who he is and plays the game of “come to me, I must let you go” and he sleeps with other women while he is supposedly so in love with Amelia. Colin did nothing for me and I really couldn’t care less if he had stayed away from Amelia. In fact I like Ware much better than Colin.

Amelia is just too much of a contradiction in how she is written. She is supposedly so chaste and innocent and protected but at times she is exactly opposite. She has mourned Colin for so many years and feels that she should marry Ware because they are such good friends and yet she goes and sleeps with Colin before she even knows who he really is.

I think people will either like or dislike this book. Unfortunately I am in the dislike category.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Guest Review: Susan reviews Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

TITLE: Poison Princess
SERIES: Arcana Chronicles #1
CHARACTERS: Jack & Evie
AUTHOR: Kresley Cole
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/02/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
She could save the world—or destroy it.
Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.
With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?
As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side…

REVIEW:
Poison Princess is a Must Read!

Both my daughter and I are huge fans of Kresley Cole’s series….so a new venture from her grabbed my attention before it was even available…I read it the first day and was not disappointed! This story is so good, with well-developed characters and a great lead-in for another epic love relationship. It was rather refreshing to have a passionate love story that was age-appropriate yet kept this old lady’s interest! Not that I mind steamy stuff on occasion, but I like a good story that uses the love interest as an underlying strong element rather than the the focus of the entire story. The challenge Evie faces as she learns more about who she is and what she can do kept my attention to the end and I can’t wait for more!

 

Disclaimer: The above review was written by a guest reviewer, is the opinion of that reviewer and not a paid review.

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Kimberly’s review of Countdown To First Night by Hart/Daley/Minton

TITLE: Countdown To First Night
AUTHOR: Hart/Daley/Minton
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/02/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Ten, nine, eight, seven…
Winter’s Heart by Jillian Hart
Shelby Craig comes to Snow Falls for a First Night job, but secretly hopes it will be a respite from her grief and a haven for her two young kids. A sympathetic cop becomes the determined widow’s staunchest ally—though helping her may break his heart.

Six, five, four…

Snowbound at New Year by Margaret Daley
This was supposed to be a done deal! Children’s book author Ellie Summers came to the festival to meet her new illustrator. She didn’t expect him to turn down her proposal. And then to find the obstinate man so charming… Is it wrong to hope his matchmaking twin daughters succeed?

Three, two, one…

A Kiss at Midnight by Brenda Minton
Pride is a hard thing to swallow, but Jolie Godwin does her best to ignore her grievances with Jake Wild this one time. The man is graciously letting her exhibit her artwork in his luxury resort for First Night. He seems like a good person and a devoted uncle. If only he’d always been so perfect. Because his kiss is something she can’t forget….

Cue the fireworks!

REVIEW:
3.5 Stars First let me say in general each story was sweet. I am not one who enjoys the whole “We meet, we aren’t meant to be together, we need to be together, we love each other” in a matter of a couple of chapters but these stories were sweet enough to keep me interested.

Winter’s Heart by Jillian Hart
This was a very cute story. I liked that the main couple already knew each other as children and had reconnected. I really enjoyed the main male character of Ronan when he interacted with the children. Very sweet story.

Snowbound at New Year by Margaret Daley
This was cute but not as cute as the first one. I was a little tired of the main male character Brody’s attitude. He should have been named Brooding because that is what it seemed he was doing the whole time. I enjoyed the children of the story too even though trust me no 6 year old speaks the way they do.

A Kiss at Midnight by Brenda Minton
Once again I enjoyed this story as much as the first story. I liked that the characters had a history and in this case a very long history. The characters are really interesting and I loved that little Anna spoke sign language. There is true romance in this story.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly’s review of For A Good Time Call by Trish Jensen

TITLE: For A Good Time Call
AUTHOR: Trish Jensen
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/31/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
“I’m just a nosy little ad exec who’s dying to see who invited me to meet you.”“Listen, Sherry Whoever-You-Are, I’m very, very busy,” Kit Fleming answered. “If you could just speed this up, I’d be wildly grateful.”Sherry became uncomfortably aware that he had a very sexy phone voice. “Well, you see, I got a delivery tonight, and I didn’t have anything smaller than a fifty, so the kid had to give me change.”“Uh-huh,” he said, the grunt tinged with annoyance. “Fascinating.”“The twenty he gave me had some writing on it.”“Writing?”“‘For a good time, call Kit.’ And of course, your phone number.”

REVIEW:
This was a adorable short read. I am a fan of Trish Jensen but had not read this story. This is a reprint and I am glad I found it. I enjoyed the characters very much.

I will be honest… As a fan of Fifty Shades of Grey this had all the makings of a PG rated version… He is a big time CEO with control and love issues and she is a woman who is looking for love and yet is independent when it comes to work. But keep in mind the original of this story was out long before Fifty Shades was…. I just could not let the similarities go without notice.

This is a enjoy quick read for an afternoon curled up on the couch (or in a sick bed in my case) that will having you smiling and wishing for Mr. Right to come along.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts
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Guest Reviewer: Kathleen reviews Shades Of Gray by Maya Banks

TITLE: Shades Of Gray
SERIES #: KGI #6
CHARACTERS: PJ & Cole
AUTHOR: Maya Banks
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/31/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

KATHLEEN’S BOOK REVIEW WEBSITE

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
P.J. and Cole were sharpshooting rivals on the same KGI team and enjoyed a spirited, uncomplicated camaraderie. Until the night they gave in to their desires and suddenly took their relationship one step further. In the aftermath of their one night stand, they’re called up on a mission that goes terribly wrong, and P.J. walks away from KGI, determined not to drag her teammates into the murky shadows she’s poised to delve into.

Six months later, Cole hasn’t given up his search for P.J., and he’s determined to bring her back home where she belongs. Bent on vengeance, P.J. is on a mission that will plunge her into a serpentine game of payback and make her question everything she’s ever believed in. Cole—and the rest of their team—refuse to let her go it alone. Even if it means sacrificing their loyalty to KGI and their very lives…

REVIEW:
A close knit team used to running high risk missions together. A budding romance between to
members. A mission that goes terribly wrong. The need for vengeance to the exclusion of all others. Can they get through this? Will the Team remain intact? Can love truly overcome all? I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I applaud Maya Banks for tackling such a difficult and taboo subject matter. It is totally believable and plausible as something that would happen in a real life situation.

PJ’s character is well written and so realistic in her emotions and thought processes that I felt my own emotions on a roller coaster ride with her. She is such a strong character but believable as her situation proves that even the toughest aren’t infallible. I really empathized with Cole and his fight for love whilst dealing with his own emotions and guilt. The tell of a good story is when your own emotions are swept along with the tide of the story, and Shades of Gray does not disappoint. I found myself so entrenched in the story that I was actually getting angry at the Villain Brumley, who as villains go was quite well written.

Steele, Dolphin, Baker and Renshaw are steadfast in their support and they take their “We live as a
team, we die as a team” seriously and it endears you to them to see their solidarity with their team
mate. I could not put the book down, I needed to see the outcome and find out if there could be a happily ever after.

In all the KGI novels, Steele’s team and PJ and Cole in particular is a story I have been waiting for and it was most definitely worth the wait. I would recommend this and all the others in the KGI series as definite must reads.

Disclaimer: The above review was written by a guest reviewer, is the opinion of that reviewer and not a paid review.

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Kimberly’s review of Rev It Up by Julie Ann Walker

TITLE: Rev It Up
AUTHOR: Julie Ann Walker
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/02/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He Never Misses a Target
Jake “the Snake” Sommers earned his SEAL codename by striking quickly and quietly – and with lethal force. That’s how he broke Michelle Carter’s heart. It was the only way to keep her safe – from himself. Four long years later, Jake is determined to get a second chance. But to steal back into Michelle’s loving arms, Jake is going to have to prove he can take things slow. Real slow…

She Aims to Make Him Beg
Michelle Carter has never forgiven Jake for being so cliché as to “love her and leave her.” But when her brother, head of the Black Knights elite ops agency, ticks off the wrong mobster, she must do the unimaginable: place her life in Jake’s hands. No matter what they call him, this man is far from cold-blooded. And once he’s wrapped around her heart, he’ll never let her go…

REVIEW:
This is the third in the Black Knights, Inc series which I did not realize when I picked the book and coming in at this point I was lost with the background story. Yes I kind of caught up but it was a bit confusing. There is a lot about the background characters and not knowing their story and how the BKI got started made it hard to understand why someone was after them and like I said it does eventually explain but I wish I had read the other two books before this one.

The story of Jake and Shell is different. There past is explained pretty much right away and you understand why things were done the way they were. When I picked up the book I expected it to be about the guy who was in love with his best friends girl and now that the best friend is gone he wants to “take care” of her for the friends sake but that is not even close. Jake has loved Shell since they first met but he was so messed up as a SEAL he didn’t know good from bad and did what he thought was best for her but now he is ready to be the man she needs and she doesn’t believe he has changed.

The story is very interesting. I am not sure about the writing… Jake’s conversations are written very juvenile (“yo”, “dude”, etc) but the rest of the story is not so young. I think the author wanted us to see Jake’s softer fun side by making him the surfer who grew old but not up but I could be wrong. It would be interesting to read another one of Walker’s stories to see if it is the character or the writing.

I think any fan of the romantic suspense or a woman who loves a good old fashion SEAL story will enjoy this book but I suggest starting at book one.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of Anything He Wants by Sara Fawkes

TITLE: Anything He Wants
AUTHOR: Sara Fawkes
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/27/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
First published as a five-part e serial novel, Anything He Wants inflamed imaginations everywhere and became a national bestseller. Now available for the first time ever as a complete book, this edition contains never-before-released scenes and special bonus material. Don’t miss this erotic tale of a powerful billionaire who always gets what he wants and the young woman who’s about to enter his exclusive realm–a world of glittering opulence and all-consuming passion, where she’ll explore the darkest reaches of her own desire.

Lucy Delacourt’s temp position isn’t quite her dream job but it pays the bills. The highlight of her day is riding the elevator in the mornings with a handsome stranger. Tall, dark, and sexy as hell, Lucy knows he’s way out of her league, but a girl can look, right?

Everything changes the day the stranger seduces her. Completely out of character, she yields without a fight, but she has no idea her wanton acts with a man whose name she doesn’t know will change her life forever. Because the sexy stranger is none other than Jeremiah Hamilton, billionaire CEO of Hamilton Industries, and one taste isn’t nearly enough to satisfy his need. As the billionaire pulls Lucy deeper into his world of high stakes business deals and ruthless takeovers, he demands nothing less than her complete surrender. But even as enemies seek deadly revenge against him, she’ll discover that her greatest threat is falling for her fiercely guarded boss…and yielding to her own darkest needs.

REVIEW:
The first thing I want a reader to know is this book has a cliffhanger and does not end with this book so don’t expect it. I was surprised by this and wish I had known before reading it (not that I wouldn’t have read it but I would have liked the forewarning.

Now, I have not researched this book but, I am going to assume that it was written as fan fiction off of 50 Shades Of Grey. There is just too many similarities in the stories. Not enough to say it was a rip off of it but enough to make me wonder if it started out as fan fiction and has become popular. The story is good (if not familiar) but Jeremiah really is not into BDSM as you would think he just likes control. He allows too many things that a Dom would never allow the sub to take liberties with. That being said the erotica is good. This is more of what the average person who enjoys a little fun can connect with, it is not over the top like some scenes from Shades.

It is good. It is interesting. It has more than just sex. I think anyone who enjoys these genre will enjoy this story very much.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.