Category: 4 Star

Shadow Rising
Dark Dynasties #3
AUTHOR: Kendra Leigh Castle
PUBLICATION DATE:   7/31/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Ancient Secrets, Dark Passions…

As one of the Grigori, a noble vampire dynasty shrouded in mystery, Ariane has spent her life hidden away in the desert. Like all of her kind, she is a watcher, fated to observe, forbidden to act. Yet when her best friend, Sammael, vanishes, she defies all rules and flees her safe haven to bring him home.

A shape-shifting assassin for the House of Shadows, Damien Tremaine is hired to locate Sammael. His hunt for the wayward Grigori leads him to Ariane, the rogue vamp who stands between him and his bounty. Damien never lets emotion interfere with his work, but a single touch from the sexy, beguiling vampire shatters his self-control. Drawn together by their common goal, what begins as an alliance of necessity soon becomes one of desire. But when the secret at the dark heart of the Grigori comes to light, Damien and Ariane must make a choice that could bind them eternally…or tear them—and everything they care about—apart

REVIEW:
Damien, is just a pain in the ass, smart mouth, totally hot bounty hunter.  But really Damien uses all the smart mouth and sarcasm as a way to keep people from getting close to him, and it has worked for a very long time.  But like all good things it has to come to an end.  When Damien gets his next assignment to track down a missing Grigori the last thing he expected to find was one very hot, very stubborn, defiant female Grigori, that will test every wall Damien has ever put up.

Ariane has lived a very sheltered life, but she is done with that now.  Ariane is determined to go out on her own to find her missing friend Sammael.  Ariane is not prepared for the outside world, but she loves it and know now she can never go back to her sheltered life.  The one thing that Ariane was never prepared for is the very sexy cat-shifter that just walked into her life.

Damien & Ariane are like magnets.  At times they are pulled too close together you have to pry them apart and other times they repel each other.  It was great fun to read about these two and watch them grow together.  It is always fun when a big tough man falls so hard that he doesn’t even know it.  Damien may be a total and complete jerk at times, but he is sweet and dream too.

This was a great book.  This was also my first Kendra Leigh Castle book and I really enjoyed the world that Kendra created.   While I think that you can read this book as a stand alone I think it would be best to start at the beginning with Dark Awakening.  I am looking forward to what is next in the Dark Dynasties series.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kelly

Gentlemen Prefer Nerds
AUTHOR: Joan Kilby
PUBLICATION DATE:   Available Now
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Self-professed nerd Maddie Maloney is an expert on jewels. Jewel thieves are another matter entirely! So when a mysterious Englishman warns her that a thief known as The Chameleon is after the rare pink diamond on display in her aunt’s shop, she tells herself it’s just a joke. Even if she can’t get Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome out of her mind…

But Fabian Montgomery doesn’t give up easily. He’s everywhere she goes, convinced the thief will strike. And when the diamond does go missing-and Maddie is suspected of stealing it-he whisks her away from the police and together they pursue The Chameleon.

Fabian plunges her into a glamorous world far from her humble workshop and transforms geeky Maddie into a sophisticated siren capable of espionage. Her mission: to seduce The Chameleon and steal back the diamond.

But Fabian isn’t telling her everything-like who he works for, and why he’s so interested in The Chameleon

REVIEW:

This book was a non-stop action packed read.  Chock full of mysterious, hot men and priceless gems, this book had it all. Daring car chases, hidden agendas, and a desert island.  The hero and heroine were interesting characters.  I loved how Fabian just popped into her life with no warning.  Once there she had a hard time getting rid of him, until eventually she didn’t want to. He was a very layered character and we got to see his inner struggle with his feelings for Maddie and his own honesty. The whole time he was lying to her, but somehow it was ok. Maddie is a woman who is focused on one thing, gems. They are her life.  We also get to see her family life and learn how she grew up which really shaped her into the woman she is now.  And under his tutelage, she went from Nerd to Glamazon and then back to something a little in between.  Fabian saved her life many times over the course of the book, and though he acted like it was part of the job, it was clearly so much more.

I have to be honest though: The ending made me a little unhappy. OK, a lot unhappy. I almost threw my Nook across the room while screaming: “WHAT!? That’s it!?”  It ended with a very ambiguous HFN with no indication if there would be a sequel or if it is part of a series. Overall it was a great read.

REVIEWED BY: Ursula

TITLE: A Perfect Storm
AUTHOR: Lori Foster
PUBLICATION DATE:   03/27/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He never saw her coming…

Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring—and continue avenging his own tragic past—the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him.

Arizona wants to reclaim her life, which means acting as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. Sure it’s dangerous, especially with a partner as distractingly appealing as Spencer. But as their plan—and their chemistry—shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there’s an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero

REVIEW:
Loved this story.   This was my first Lori Foster book and I am hooked.  I am going to have to go back and read the first 3 books in this series.  But I will say that A Perfect Storm easily reads as a stand alone book.  At no time did I feel lost or not know what was going on.

Spencer.  Spencer is yummy with a capital Y-U-M-M-Y!!!!!  He is a total man, all rough and tough.  But Spencer is so caring and generous that you can’t help but fall in love with him.  Spencer has great instincts and is more then willing to help someone in need.  So when he wakes up with Arizona in his room, he know that things are about to change.

Arizona has had a very rough life.  But instead of becoming a wallflower after everything she has been through she has come out the other side stronger and more determined.   But even Arizona knows when she needs back up.  That is why she broke into Spencer’s house, sat there watching him sleep just waiting for him to wake up.

These two were great fun to read.  Spencer is so patient, loving but could and will kick butt when need.  Arizona maybe tough on the outside but inside she still fights her demons.  With Spencer, Arizona starts to feel things she can’t understand, but she wants too.  While Spencer thinks he is the one trying to heal Arizona, he doesn’t realize that he is healing too.  But will it all be too late?  Arizona is a wild card and unpredictable.
If you have read any of Lori Foster’s books you will love A Perfect Storm.  🙂

REVIEWED BY: Kelly

Crazy On You
AUTHOR: Rachel Gibson
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/01/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Return to Lovett, Texas, the setting of Daisy’s Back in Town, in this smart and sexy new story from Rachel Gibson, the New York Times bestselling author of Rescue Me and the Seattle Chinooks books.

Lily Darlington’s been called crazy in her day-and, yeah, driving her car into her ex-husband’s living room probably wasn’t the smartest move ever made-but the louse deserved it. Now Lily is happily single, and she’s turned it all around. She knows she’s a good mom, a homeowner, and a businesswoman, all wrapped up in one good-looking package.

A package that police officer Tucker Matthews is dying to unwrap. This ex-military man sure doesn’t need another woman in his life. His last girlfriend left him with nothing but memories and a cat named Pinky! But living next door to Lily has been driving him nuts. He dreams about her long blonde hair and even longer legs. And maybe it’s time to go a little crazy . . . and fall in love.

REVIEW:
This is a short novella of about 80 pages that brings us back to Lovett, Texas where we first visited in Daisy’s Back In Town. We met Lily in the first book and as a secondary character she stole the scenes she was in and now we get a short story to catch us up on what has been going on. Lily has tried to change her ways and become a upstanding citizen so her 10 year old son can hold his head high. But then comes Tucker who is new in town, younger and crazy about Lily and her son.

The character of Lily has changed some from the original book she is not so wild and carefree. Tucker is very charismatic and endearing. I wish the novella had been a full novel and had gone on for another hundred or more pages. There was so much crammed into this short book and it is a shame we only got a taste of Lily’s story because she is the kind of character women love to read about.

REVIEWED BY: Kimberly

Guarding Jess
AUTHOR: Shannon Curtis
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/14/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Jessica Pennington’s work as an etiquette coach requires her to be polite and proper at all times, especially now that she has a book coming out. The only thing that rattles her reserve is the increasingly violent emails and texts from her persistent stalker. With the book launch in jeopardy, she reluctantly hires a bodyguard.

Noah Samuels hates stuck-up, prim people like Jessica. He’s more the blunt, straightforward type. But to advance up the ranks at McCormack Security, he has to take the high-profile assignment. After a near miss on his first day on the job, Noah realizes that the stalker isn’t just hype cooked up to sell books-the threat is real.

As the stalker escalates from letters to letter bombs, Noah sees a vulnerable side of Jessica that rouses more than just his protective instincts. But can she let down her guard long enough to trust Noah before it’s too late?

REVIEW:
When you first begin this book you have a feeling it is the same old same old story of the strong but silent type man protecting the “proper” woman. She has to be proper and polite and he just wants to “ruffle her hair to see her messed up a little” and honestly it is but it is a fun read. Noah is the type of guy who does not say much but when he does you want to cry for him or laugh at him. And Jessica is just a woman who wants to please everyone but never seems to be happy with herself.

While there was not a lot different in this book from practically every other book about a bodyguard guarding a celebrity I enjoyed the read a lot. The characters are enjoyable. I love how Noah puts his foot in his mouth more often than not and with Jessica you want to yell at her to loosen up and go for it with Noah. The book is very well written and was a great suspenseful story. I will say while I had the who figured out I certainly did not have the why figured out and the ending had some interesting twist. I found this book very enjoyable to read.

REVIEWED BY: Kimberly

Gabriel’s Rapture
#2
AUTHOR: Sylvain Reynard
PUBLICATION DATE:   05/21/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Professor Gabriel Emerson has embarked on a passionate, yet clandestine affair with his former student, Julia Mitchell.

Sequestered on a romantic holiday in Italy, he tutors her in the sensual delights of the body and the rapture of sex. But when they return, their happiness is threatened by conspiring students, academic politics, and a jealous ex-lover.

When Gabriel is confronted by the university administration, will he be forced to share Dante’s fate? Or will he fight to keep Julia, his Beatrice, forever?

REVIEW:
I really enjoyed being back with the Professor.  I kinda missed the grumpy, tough talking, tough acting, pain in the ass Professor.   But in reality I think I really like the new and improved Gabriel.

We pick up in Gabriel’s Rapture where we left off in Gabriel’s Inferno (if you have not read Gabriel’s Inferno, you must really read it first) with Gabriel & Julia still on their vacation in Italy  While everything is rosy and good in Italy, waiting for them at home is a firestorm of problems.

Gabriel & Julia’s relationship will be tested yet again, but on a much greater scale.  It was nice to watch both Gabriel & Julia grow as characters.  Each learns more about them self and what they hold dear in their lives.

I will say that I enjoyed Gabriel’s Inferno a little more than Gabriel’s Rapture.  Mostly because I felt that some of the story lines just kinda dropped off.  I was really hoping a character or two would get their just desserts.   But at last they did not.  But overall this was a great book.

REVIEWED BY: Kelly

The Risque Target
AUTHOR: Kelly Gendron
PUBLICATION DATE:   02/01/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon  | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
There’s one name that has Agent Nala Dekker reaching for the gun holstered to her leg—Tantum Maddox, the one name her partner said before he died in her arms. After three years of searching for the faceless Tantum Maddox, his name has finally surfaced. Nala jumps on the first plane to Boston in chase of her long-awaited revenge. But instead of taking Tantum in for his crime or shooting him—in self-defense, of course—Nala nearly ends up in bed with the killer. So, it probably would’ve been a good idea to find out what her Target looked like before she went after him.

Agent Tantum Maddox has completed his assignment in Mexico… and now it’s time for his revenge. When Tantum finds a mysterious woman in his arms, and after he discovers exactly who she is—his Target—he must decide what to do with the gun concealed beneath her dress. Should he use it on her and kill her? Or spare her life and take her captive until he finds the answers he’s been looking for?

Somehow Nala’s innocence comes into question by the dangerously sexy Tantum Maddox and he accuses her of being a cold blooded killer. But why is Nala the one on trial, for Tantum’s the one who killed her partner—isn’t he? In this torrid twist of betrayal and seduction, will Tantum and Nala resist killing each other? Or worse, when the truth unfolds, will love become the only threat to their vindictive hearts?

REVIEW:
This looks to be the first book by this author and let me tell you I can not wait to read more. The characters are great. Tantum is the perfect guy. Totally hot, predatory, protective, sexual and has a sense of humor. Nala is interesting in her own right. She is new to being a agent and while she really does normally seem like she can take care of herself and on any other assignment would kick some serious butt, Tantum has become a complication and you can see her defenses fall.
There was a little too much of Nala questioning her own feelings (“Is he guilty?” “Can I really trust him?”, “He did do it!”, “No I know he could never do it!”, etc) and it got a little irritating but all in all it was a really good book. The premise is interesting too. They find they are pitted against each other and are each trying to find the other guilty of crimes but they seem to figure out pretty early what is going on but not the who is setting it up.

I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t wait to see how it ended. I wanted to see how Tantum would overcome his own issues of the heart and it was fun to watch Nala fall so easily into his arms but try to keep her heart at arms length. I enjoyed the humor that was written into these characters (especially Tantum) as well. It really is a fun yet suspenseful read. I will eagerly pick up the next book by Gendron and hope it is just as well written as this one.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kimberly

Snowbound with a Stranger
AUTHOR: Rebecca Rogers Maher
PUBLICATION DATE:   05/28/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Dannie Marino is hiking with colleagues when a sudden blizzard separates her from her group. She’s rescued by Lee, a dangerously sexy stranger who leads her to a remote cabin to weather the storm.
When the night inevitably ends in an intense erotic encounter, Dannie is both shocked and liberated by her response. But being intimate means letting herself be vulnerable, which isn’t her style. Lee tries to reach out to her, but she avoids any emotional entanglement by pushing him away.
Snowed in and unable to hide from each other, Dannie and Lee must both face up to their most closely guarded emotions. When the storm abates, will they be able to stop running from the past and live fully in the future?

REVIEW:
This is a very quick read with only about 75 pages and I really enjoyed it. Both characters of Dannie and Lee have issues from their past but when they are stuck in a small cabin for three days those issues become secondary to the current of passion that is running between them. A lot happens to these two while they are stranded. It is a really well written story that the reader gets to enjoy. It is not all about passion and love there are real emotions these two have and I would have liked a bit of a longer book to delve deeper into their stories. We read that Dannie is feeling burnt out in her job but the story only skims the top of why she is feeling this way and Lee has had some major heartbreak and has secluded himself from feeling for the last few years and that also could have been discussed. Also these characters have an instant connection but we never read why and *possible spoiler* Lee feels this connection just looking at her picture before he even meets Dannie. That being said this book is a really good story and would be great to have ready for when you need a quick read.

REVIEWED BY: Kimberly