I’m not sure if it was because the Rohan in this book was a daughter, Miranda, and not a son (and therefore not quite as dreadful), or if it was perhaps the revenge theme, but I was not quite as enamored of BREATHLESS as I was of RUTHLESS and RECKLESS. There was also the squick factor that the hero engineered the heroine’s ravishment by another man as part of his revenge plan–years before they even met, but still. And he didn’t really ever show remorse about it–in fact more than once he reveled in the fact that she was no … Read More »

A fabulous follow up to RITA Winner ONE SCREAM AWAY, LAST TO DIE follows Sergeant Danielle Cole as she tries to figure out who is killing young prostitutes and former prostitutes in Lancaster, Maryland. Early on in the case she is confronted by her first love, Mitch Sheridan, who is now a celebrated photojournalist whose mentor is somehow involved in the murders. Brady does a great job of blending a credible romance between Mitch and Dani with their quest to find the killer. Her prose is edgy and often lovely despite the dark subject matter. And her ability to create … Read More »

Really enjoyed this book. The setting in Napa Valley was fun. The pairing of a TV Home Repair guy with a woman determined to keep her family’s winery in business was sweet. Especially since the hero, Penn, is determined to be a hard ass and the heroine, Allie, is her small town’s favorite daughter. There was also a fabulous secondary friends to lovers romance between Allie’s friend Clare (who is set to become the first bride married in the winery’s new wedding destination venture) and her BFF, Allie’s cousin Gil. Ridgway’s writing is multi-layered and there were some surprisingly heavy … Read More »

Fun sexy contemporary from Erin Nicholas. The heroine, Jessica, has been walking the straight and narrow ever since her father died when she was twenty, leaving her to raise her younger brother and sister. She’s an emergency room nurse and oozes responsibility, so she’s the first one the hospital administration chooses to babysit hottie Dr. Ben Torres, who’s just put the hospital at risk for a huge lawsuit by punching out a patient. Since Jess has been crushing on Ben for a while she’s more than happy to comply. Until she realizes that formerly upstanding Ben is hell bent on … Read More »

*Happy sigh* When I first heard Chase was writing Peregrine and Olivia’s story I was thrilled, but I did wonder if it would live up to the hype. I shouldn’t have worried. I was wearing a big goofy grin the whole time I was reading. She aged Olivia and Lisle skillfully, keeping the traits they’d had in childhood, but allowing them to grow into them, change, adapt. Their pairing was inevitable, but it was so delicious to see them negotiate and bicker and realize just how much they needed each other. Olivia to temper Lisle’s stuffiness and Lisle to temper … Read More »

Not as dark as RUTHLESS, but a whole lot sexier, RECKLESS tells the story of Adrian, the son of the couple from the first book in this series. The heroine, Charlotte, is a tall, gawky spinster who follows her widowed cousin to a Hellfire Club-like gathering and is swept off her feet by Adrian, Viscount Rohan, whom she has worshiped from afar for years. The dynamic between Adrian and Charlotte is similar to that of his parents in the earlier book: Mad, bad rake convinces innocent spinster to walk on the wild side and is then tamed by love. If … Read More »

The only other Anne Stuart I’ve read was her dark Regency THE DEVIL’S WALTZ that came out several years ago, which I really enjoyed. She writes dowdy, spinster-ish heroines paired with baaaaaaaaad boys quite well. This one is quite dark, and the backstory of the heroine, Elinor, is particularly bleak. And the hero, Rohan, aka The King of Hell, is not just a rake in name only. He’s jaded for a reason. But because of his genuine badassness, his affection for Elinor seems stronger, more powerful. Even when he’s trying his darndest to resist it. Coupled with a sweet secondary … Read More »

Another great installment in the Konigsburg, Texas series, this time featuring the eldest and most troubled of the Toleffson brothers, Erik. I loved the way that Erik and Morgan’s relationship was allowed to develop gradually. No big misunderstanding, just two adults, attracted to one another and making the transition from friends to lovers. Their ease with one another made their difficulties dealing with their respective families seem even more fraught. Watching Morgan deal with her parents and Ciro and Carmen was painfully realistic–anyone who has dealt with well meaning but condescending parents can relate. And Erik’s continued awkwardness with his … Read More »

Fabulous retelling of Cinderella with all the wit and charm one would expect from Eloisa James. I loved the little tweaks she gave to the traditional fairy tale elements–an earthy godmother, a not so ugly stepsister, and a not-quite-glass slipper. And of course there was more to the relationship between Kate and her handsome prince than just one evening together at the ball. From their prickly first meeting to their growing attraction to one another, their chemistry zings off the page. James does a fabulous job of building their appreciation for one another and that combined with their wanting makes … Read More »

Wow. Sexy and surprisingly poignant contemporary romance debut from V.K. Sykes. Aspiring pro golfer Torrey Green is working two jobs in Las Vegas to save up for LPGA qualifying school. But what she really needs is a corporate sponsor to foot the bill. When she’s booked through CaddyGirls.com to caddy for billionaire video game company CEO, Julian Grant, she can’t help but feel like she’s finally catching a break. Things get complicated when they meet and can’t keep the attraction between them from burning out of control. But Torrey’s need for a sponsor and Julian’s participation in an immature bet … Read More »