Author: Kimberly

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Kimberly’s review of Need by Todd Gregory

TITLE: Need
AUTHOR: Todd Gregory
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/30/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
On the sultry streets of New Orleans, you can indulge every desire. Even when what you crave is blood.

As far as the mortal world knows, Cord Logan died two years ago. In reality, he stalks the French Quarter, searching for victims. Cord knew that coming back to New Orleans would be risky now that he’s broken with the fraternity of vampires who first claimed him. But a chance encounter with an old friend triggers unexpected desire, and reveals a lethal curse that endangers not just his kind, but all of humanity.

Cord’s quest to break the curse leads him on a journey of carnal self-discovery and deep into the bayous. Here, where magic reigns unchecked, Cord must tap into his dark, unpredictable abilities and all his seductive powers. And if he fails, he’ll have all eternity to regret it…

REVIEW:
3.5 Stars I have to say that the synopsis did not explain everything this book is about. Honestly it is gay erotica with a touch of a vampire story. There is a lot of sexual scenes and while it is very well written and even though it is nothing that I expected it to be I really enjoyed the storyline but I was a bit surprised by all the gay erotica

As I said it is well written and a very interesting story but there is a bit too much of the same thoughts over and over. The story would have worked better as a short story. Not because there is not enough storyline, there is, it is just things are repeated too often and take up too many pages.

I liked Cord but there were so many sex partners that it was distracting. Cord just falls into bed with anyone and after thinks “maybe I shouldn’t have done this” which makes the reader feel that the book was really a chance to write a gay erotica and the author figured vampires were popular now.

That being said if you enjoy vampire stories AND gay erotica than this is the book for you. This is just a story that you need to know the details going in before reading.

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

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Kelly’s review of In Her Sights by Charley Colins

TITLE: In Her Sights – A Lexie Olympia Novel #1
AUTHOR: Charley Colins (aka Keri Ford)
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/16/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N
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BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Some call her a killer.
Others call her a hero.

Lexie Olympia calls herself neither. She’s getting the job done because she can. A beloved philanthropist by day who’s nicknamed Melville’s Sweetheart, Lexie has the city wrapped around her little finger. Having been a victim in the past, left behind with the killer still on the loose, Lexie knows what it’s like to live with that fear. Instead of biting her nails over it, she takes action. Drug lords, gang leaders, con artists, kidnappers, serial killers, anyone who leaves behind innocent victims are marked on Lexie’s list.

When a neighbor leaves a stolen ancient dagger on her doorstep and skips town, Lexie’s left picking up the pieces. The police, a local private investigator, and a gang are all after this artifact and Lexie uses her nighttime persona, Artemis, to get to the bottom of things. Everything is going smoothly until she gets caught.

REVIEW:
I love that Keri stepped out of her comfort zone of the Apple Trail series and try her hand at Mystery Romance. I loved her new book “In Her Sights” book 1 in the Lexie Olympia Series. Written under the pen name Charley Colins.

I love that Lexie Olympia is not what she seems. She is not the spoiled princess most people think she is. What she really is, well a secret that if it gets out could get her killed and those who know what she does

But Lexie’s perfectly planned life is about to flipped upside down by the man who just broke into her house. Lexie is going to quickly learn that this stranger is going to become a very important person to her and her cause.

If you enjoy a good mystery romance I would suggest picking up a copy of IN HER SIGHTS and learn a little about Lexie Olympia and her secrets.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The following review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of Seven Day Loan by Tiffany Reisz

TITLE: Seven Day Loan
AUTHOR: Tiffany Reisz
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/01/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Want more than Fifty Shades? Mills & Boon have the answer with 12 Shades of Surrender! All 12 stories promise unforgettable romances with a sinful edge – surrender to pure reading pleasure… A trained submissive, Eleanor will do
whatever her master commands – even spend a week with a stranger! But while she’ll let him have her body, she’s determined to keep a guard around her heart…

REVIEW:
This is a short story (33 pages). The story is Eleanor is a submissive and she is loaned to a Dom while her Master is gone for the week. The problem is that Daniel doesn’t really show any dominant qualities to me. Yes he asks her to do some over the top stuff but there is never a time she seems subservient to him. It is a erotic short read though.

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

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Jennifer’s review of Close Enough To Touch by Victoria Dahl

TITLE: Close Enough To Touch
AUTHOR: Victoria Dahl
PUBLICATION DATE:   8/28/12

ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: For makeup artist Grace Barrett, Hollywood isn’t the land of golden opportunity.  It’s the land of difficult divas, cheating boyfriends and unemployment.  So when her great-aunt offers her a free place to stay in Jackson Hole, Grace thinks she’ll spend a little time in the sticks to figure out her life, and then move somewhere exciting to live out her dreams.  But it turns out that there are a few more thrills in this small town than Grace was expecting….

Cole Rawlins is a rugged Wyoming cowboy born and bred. Yet he can’t help but be drawn to the fascinating big-city girl who moves in across from him. He wants to get close enough to Grace to see past her tough facade, but if he does, she might get to see the real Cole.  The one with a Hollywood history gone bad.  As they discover a sizzling attraction, it becomes harder for him to keep his demons at bay–and those fires from long ago may burn them both.

They’ll need more than scorching-hot passion to make this opposites-attract affair work. But if they can learn to trust one another enough to reveal their secrets, they just might have a chance at forever.

REVIEW: I adore Victoria Dahl’s books because she always seem to write these great romances in small towns with interesting characters.  I thought this book was good, but for me, it wasn’t as light-hearted as her previous novels.  Grace is a character that has a lot of emotional baggage to deal with when she first arrives at Jackson Hole.  She has no money, no job and no direction but is trying to find her place in life without depending on a man like her mother.  She acted very tough by not letting anyone get close to her and found it easier to lash out at people instead of letting her guards down because she was afraid of being hurt.  I liked her but I wanted her to open up more to people than just pretending to be this tough city chick.

Cole was dealing with emotional issues as well during the course of this novel.  He was slowly recovering from an injury that shattered his pelvis and he was scared that he wouldn’t be able to ride a horse again.  If he couldn’t ride a horse then he would be unable to run the ranch that he was hoping to buy from his boss when he retired.  To him, that was everything and he was guilty of lashing out at others as well. Grace and Cole were so much alike even though from the outside they looked like exact opposites.  The chemistry and sexual tension was extremely hot but that isn’t all there is to a relationship and it took some time for these characters to get past their own issues to try to build that relationship.

I liked this novel but I want others to be aware that this isn’t a light-hearted romance.  These characters have some real emotional issues from mistakes of their past and the romance between the two doesn’t start off easy.  I’m looking forward to reading Victoria’s next novel in the series “Too Hot to Handle” which stars Grace’s best friend, Merry.  Hopefully, her love story will go smoother than Grace’s did.

Disclaimer:
The following review is my opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of My Kind Of Christmas by Robyn Carr

TITLE: My Kind Of Christmas
AUTHOR: Robyn Carr
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/23/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
PATRICK RIORDAN ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT NOTHING COULD MATCH THE ADRENALINE RUSH HE GETS FROM HIS JOB. BUT THIS CHRISTMAS, PATRICK’S PULSE IS REALLY RACING…

The Riordan brothers may have a reputation for being rough-and tumble, but Patrick has always been the gentle, sweet-natured one. These days, his easygoing manner is being tested by his high-octane career as a navy pilot. But for the Riordan brothers, when the going gets tough…the tough find the love of a good woman. Except the woman who has caught Patrick’s attention is Jack Sheridan’s very attractive niece. Angie LeCroix comes to Virgin River to spend Christmas relaxing, away from her well-intentioned but hovering mother. Yet instead of freedom, she gets Jack Sheridan. If her uncle had his way, she’d never go out again. And certainly not with rugged, handsome Patrick Riordan. But Angie has her own idea of the kind of Christmas she wants—and the kind of man! Patrick and Angie thought they wanted to be left alone this Christmas—until they meet each other. Then they want to be left alone together. But the Sheridan and Riordan families have different plans for Patrick and Angie—and for Christmas, Virgin River–style!

REVIEW:
4 1/2 Stars This is part of the Virgin River series however since I have not read any others and yet I loved this book I feel comfortable saying you can read this as a stand alone as well… but it will make you want to go back and read the others.

There is not much about Christmas in this story. In fact Christmas doesn’t even come in the story by the time it finishes so if you are looking for a book to get you in the holiday mood this is really not it but it is such an enjoyable read that you will forget you wanted to read a holiday story.

The characters of Patrick and Angie are just so wonderful. You can feel the connection between them from the first scene they have together. The background characters (which have had their own books) are great too. I really did love everything about this book. I have never read a Robyn Carr book before so I was not sure what to expect but her writing is very smooth and flows really well. She is able to bring you into the moment with each scene she writes. The ending of the book had me tearing up a little bit which is not something that happens very often so when it happens I know the book has brought me to a place that many others have not.

I would highly recommend you meeting Patrick and Angie and spending the holidays with them. It is a story you won’t want to miss.

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

4 Hearts
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Kelly’s review of Angel Of Darkness by Cynthia Eden

TITLE: Angel of Darkness – The Fallen #1
AUTHOR: Cythina Eden
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/29/11
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
As an angel of death, Keenan’s job is to collect the souls on his list. He’s carried out his duty for two thousand years and never faltered once. Until he meets Nicole St. James. When the moment of death comes, Keenan hesitates, and instead of taking Nicole, Keenan touches the vampire who’s attacking her.

Cast out of heaven for disobedience, Keenan plummets to earth. Six months later, he finally manages to track Nicole to a bar in Mexico. He’s stunned to discover that the woman he remembers has undergone a dramatic change—she’s become a vampire. And when he realizes that she’s the target of all manner of enemies—other vampires, demons, even shifters—he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if all hell breaks loose

REVIEW:
Keenan is an angel of death.  All Keenan has ever knew is to follow his orders.  But all that changed when Keenan saves Nicole from the vampire that was just trying to kill her.   But with that one choice Keenan changed both his life and Nicole’s life forever. You see because he disobeys his orders Keenan is forced to become a Fallen Angel.  Nicole well, she may have survived the attack but she has been changed too.

I enjoyed this book.  Keenan is a pretty bad-ass hero.  He know what he wants and doesn’t stop until he gets it.  Nicole is a tough cookie, who wants nothing more than to be left alone.   These two make a really good team.  They need to be a good team because they don’t know who around them is a true friend or foe.

If you have not started Cynthia’s The Fallen Series yet and you love angels you should go pick up a copy.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The following review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
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ALL TIME FAVORITE HOLIDAY ROMANCE – VOTE NOW!

Books-N-Kisses wants to know what the all-time favorite holiday romance novel is. Do you have a holiday romance that you read every year? Do you have a holiday romance that you recommend to all your friends as soon as Thanksgiving is over? Do you have a holiday romance that you just can’t help but think about every Christmas? We want to hear about it. Tell us the name of the book, author and why you love the book so much. What does it represent to you? What has made it your favorite? We will feature the winning book on Christmas Eve and may include your comments on why your choice is the BOOKS-N-KISSES ALL TIME FAVORITE HOLIDAY ROMANCE! Remember to SHARE this post with all your friends!

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Ursula’s review of Copy That by HelenKay Dimon

TITLE: Copy That
AUTHOR: HelenKay Dimon
PUBLICATION DATE: 08-07-12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Returning from his latest Border Patrol assignment, Jeremy Hill seeks sanctuary in his twin brother’s home. The last thing he expects to find is an armed man already inside, or Meredith Samms, a gorgeous tenant caught in the crossfire. Then he discovers that the gunman’s attack is meant for his twin brother, who is nowhere in sight, and Jeremy must take matters into his own hands. Searching for his brother while trying to protect this girl next door, Jeremy finds himself caught up in the danger he’d become all too familiar with. In his world, everyone’s a target and anyone can be a suspect, so Jeremy has no room for emotions. But what Meredith stirs within him may complicate this unexpected mission to the point of no return….

REVIEW:

This is the first Harlequin Intrigue book I have read in a long time. Now I remember why I loved them so much!  This book was explosive from the beginning and was a non-stop ride for the whole book. I really enjoy my romances with a healthy dose of mystery, suspense and intrigue. This book had a super heaping helping of it. Once I started this book I couldn’t put it down. I admit to being fooled by some of the false paths laid to the true bad guy. I love when a book can do that to me. Sometimes they are just too darn predictable, but not this book. There was also a really cool twin twist and the secondary romance between the other brother was interesting too. The twist at the end of the book was a great trick that I am not going to tell you about because I don’t want to ruin the book. For goodness sake, go out and buy this book. It was that freaking good! This was my very first book by Ms. Dimon. I am now looking for more of her awesome books to read!

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

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Kimberly’s review of A Christmas Hope by Joseph Pittman

TITLE: A Christmas Hope
AUTHOR: Joseph Pittman
PUBLICATION DATE:   09/25/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
ONE FINAL CHRISTMAS WISH COULD CHANGE THEIR LIVES FOREVER…

Nora Connors Rainer has returned to her hometown, Linden Corners, to tend to her elderly but spunky pie-baking mother–and to nurse a broken heart.  To keep busy, Nora opens “A Doll’s Attic,” a consignment shop where locals can unload their unwanted heirlooms.  And the upcoming holidays are bringing a host of interesting objects–and people–through her doors.

Eighty-five year old Thomas Van Diver hands Nora her first challenge: track down a rare, vintage item that holds powerful childhood memories for him–memories of his father and their last Christmas together before he went off to the war and never returned.

Helping them both is Brian Duncan, whose farmhouse and windmill Thomas once called home.  Together with his irrepressible young charge, Janey Sullivan, Brian will uncover the mysteries of Christmas past–and create a Christmas present that just might restore their hope, and fulfill everyone’s deepest wishes.

REVIEW:
I cried! I honestly can not tell you the last story I read where I even got choked up neither less had to grab a tissue but this one I had a tissue in hand for the last third of the book. This is a very well written story that I can only hope Hallmark Channel or Lifetime is smart enough to buy the rights to. This story has a bit of romance to it but that is not what this story is about. This is the story of Thomas and the past he is trying to return to by finding the book his dad gave him as a child. There is a lot of loss in this book but also the underlying moral that family is what and who you make it to be.

Set in a typical “Norman Rockwell” small town the characters come alive as the holidays approach the town. The main character of Thomas is a old man now and the type of man that you want to sit down on a porch rocking chair with and hear his stories. The author has really written Thomas in an endearing and captivating way. You really just want to invite him to dinner. Nora and Brian are strangers who for their own reasons have come to town, Nora returning to live with her mom and Brian who was “just passing through” years ago but for reason beyond his control has stayed.

While Thomas is written really well, I am not sure that the other characters way of speaking was typical of the current time frame. Even the children sometimes spoke “too proper” for their age and some odd comments were made that just felt a little off (I mean really what 80+ year old man has not heard of strawberry pie?) but none of these oddities take away from the delightful and poignant story. As I said above I can see this book being made into a made for tv movie and I hope if it is one day turned into a movie they will do this book justice because it deserves to be enjoyed.

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

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Jennifer’s review of Loving Lady Marcia by Kieran Kramer

TITLE: Loving Lady Marcia
AUTHOR: Kieran Kramer
PUBLICATION DATE:   8/28/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: MARCIA GETS SCHOOLED…  Of the three Brady sisters, Lady Marcia has always seemed the girl most likely to lead a perfectly charmed life.  But after a handsome cad breaks her heart, she swears off love and devotes her life to teaching girls at a private school.  In spite of her family’s wish for a London debut, Marcia is happy where she is–until terrible news sends her back to the Brady clan…and into the arms of an unexpected suitor.

ON THE SUBJECT OF LOVE… A dark and dashing earl who knows Marcia’s past, Duncan Lattimore is surprised by what a fascinating and independent woman she’s become.  Marcia, too, is surprised–by the fiery attraction she feels for Duncan.  But why–why–must he be the brother of the scoundrel who broke her heart? Why must Marcia’s rival at school forbid her from seeing him?  How can this lady possibly resist this fellow–when they know that it’s much more than a hunch…?

REVIEW:
This book was a real treat for me and I loved every minute of Lady Marcia’s story. Lady Marcia started this novel as a bright-eyed, sweet, innocent girl that had developed into an intelligent, yet reserved, young woman who wouldn’t let anyone near her heart, five short years later.  She had resigned herself to be the headmistress of a prestigious school and wouldn’t participate in London’s notorious Season because she felt she wasn’t worthy enough to be married to any man.  When she meets Lord Chadwick again in London, he becomes so smitten with her, even though he was initially unaware that his brother had broken Lady Marcia’s heart as a teenager.

Duncan Lattimore was the perfect romantic hero for me.  He was loving, caring, responsible to everyone in his charge and he did everything in his power to remedy Finn’s indiscretions, even if it meant damaging his own reputation among society in the process.  His own love for Lady Marcia was so strong that he was willing to help her with her job and he wanted to marry her regardless of the secrets that she was protecting from everyone else.  He would have done anything in his power to win her heart and I wish there were more men like Duncan in the world because he was just a great guy to have in your life.

Finn Lattimore, Duncan’s younger brother, was the epitome of bad boy.  Charming and good-looking, the perfect toxic boyfriend that would leave broken hearts behind him without a second thought to the consequences.  There were times during this novel that I wanted to reach in and hit him for his actions but if it wasn’t for him, Duncan and Lady Marcia wouldn’t have had that special connection with one another.

This is my first Kieran Kramer novel and I’m happy to say that it won’t be my last.  She has created a humorous, well-written, beautifully romantic tale about second chances after initial first impressions.  I loved the Brady Bunch references throughout the novel that made this amazing story even more delightful.  Loving Lady Marcia is a wonderfully romantic novel and I’m looking forward to more from the House of Brady in “The Earl is Mine.”

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

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Kimberly’s review of Eva’s Last Dance by Tracy Cooper-Posey

TITLE: Eva’s Last Dance
AUTHOR: Tracy Cooper-Posey
PUBLICATION DATE:   09/18/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Nearly one hundred years after their last dance together Eva’s long lost love, Edward, makes contact again. Eva—lonely and a vampire now—can’t resist falling into his arm and under his erotic spell. She’ll do anything he asks of her now.

Then the spell is rudely interrupted by human demon hunter Ryan Jefferson, who is on the trail of an incubus. He sets out to seduce Eva properly in a searing night of dance and passion.

This dance counts in more ways than one…

REVIEW:
This is a short story of vampire erotica. It is a very short with only about 40 reading pages but a very interesting story. The characters are well defined and even though we are only given a few pages to get to know them enough is written to give us insight into why they are together. The ending has a twist which was unexpected but enjoyable. If you enjoy the genre of vampires or erotica you will enjoy this book. It is a short enough that you can read it in an hour and enjoy yourself.

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

4 Hearts
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Kelly’s review of The Passage by Justin Cornin

TITLE: The Passage
AUTHOR: Justin Cornin
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/08/10
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
“It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born.”

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear—of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey—spanning miles and decades—towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

REVIEW:
HOLY SHITE!!!!!!

This book was intense. I do have to say I really love my HEA books… But this was a great book. Very well written. As I said before very intense. Depressing, Doom & Gloom the whole way through.

And WOWZA what a way to end a book…

If you have not read this book I would suggest putting it on your list to read. Yes it is a super long book 800 pages strong or if you do as I did and listen to on audio 36+ hours.

But it was worth every tear and heartbreak I suffered along the way. I am looking forward to book 2 The Twelve and very much looking forward to book 3 The City of Mirrors.

Disclaimer:
The following review is my own opinion and not a paid review.