Monthly Archives: January 2012

RomCon Tuesday

Posted on January 31, 2012 by TBRG| Leave a comment

Time for our weekly RomCon check in.  How is your reading going?

I have decided that there are just certain genres I cannot get into, I am sure everyone is the same.  That is one of the things I enjoy about our reading challenge, it has given me the opportunity to discover authors I might not have picked up otherwise. Some I have come to love, others not so much, but I have been giving everyone a chance.

Here are a few more authors we will get the chance to meet in June.

Alexandra Ivy

I’m not exactly sure when I fell in love with books.  Probably on my mother’s knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me.  I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library.
Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries?  Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few.  I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays.  In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on.

Years later (no, I’m not admitting how many) I’m still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy.
For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!

I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander.  Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams.  They are truly my heroes.

 

Lynn Rush

Hi. I’m so glad you stopped by. I hope you leave a few comments so I can learn more about you!

I write Paranormal Romance and my first novel, Wasteland, released September 2011 from Crescent Moon Press and Awaited(Wasteland #2) will release May 2012.

I’ve been married to my soulmate, Charlie, for 15 years. We’re sports junkies and spend most of our time on our road bikes.

 

Posted in RomCon Tuesday

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An Affair with Mr. Kennedy by Jillian Stone

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Elise| 4 Comments

Title: An Affair with Mr. Kennedy

Series: The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard #1

Author: Jillian Stone

Genre: Historical, Late Victorian

London, 1887. Part stoic gentleman, part fearless Yard man, Zeno “Zak” Kennedy is an enigma of the first order. For years, the memory of a deadly bombing at King’s Cross has haunted the brilliant Scotland Yard detective. His investigation has zeroed in on a ring of aristocratic rebels whose bloody campaign for Irish revolution is terrorizing the city. When he discovers one of the treacherous lords is acquainted with his free-spirited new tenant, Cassandra St. Cloud, his inquiry pulls him unexpectedly close to the heart of the conspiracy—and into the arms of a most intriguing lady.

Cassie is no Victorian prude. An impressionist painter with very modern ideas about life and love, she is eager for a romantic escapade that is daring and discreet. She sets her sights on her dour but handsome landlord, but after she learns their meeting was not purely accidental, she hardly has a chance to forgive her lover before their passionate affair catapults them both into a perilous adventure.

This is the debut historical romance of Jillian Stone, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more of her work. I see a lot about readers who are tired of “wallpaper historicals” and who want to truly be swept away by the rich details of the period in which the book is written. AN AFFAIR WITH MR. KENNEDY is definitely not a wallpaper historical, and for that alone I feel it deserves a 5-star rating.

In addition to the rich details of the time period, I also really enjoyed the characters of the hero and heroine. Both came alive on the page for me and were interesting, and their interactions were fun to read about. The subplot, too, was a lot of fun to read and we get to travel from London to the heroine’s family’s country estate over the Channel to Calais and then to Paris. I also think her secondary characters and the pacing for most of the book (see below) were wonderful. Truly, this could have been a 5 star book.

However, the reason I cannot give it an A is because although I did believe in the couple’s HEA, I never felt the emotional connection between them. There were many opportunities where Ms. Stone could have slowed down the pacing a little and explored the emotion between them more, to let the reader bask in the glow of their romance, but instead I felt that these scenes were abruptly cut short to continue on with the rest of the plot.

I did really enjoy AN AFFAIR WITH MR. KENNEDY–Ms. Stone’s writing is a breath of fresh air for the historical genre–but I do hope to experience more of the romance and the emotional connection between the heroes and heroines in her future books.

Grade: B+

Posted in Historical

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WOW Sunday

Posted on January 29, 2012 by TBRG| Leave a comment

Every time I pick up a book I get to go to another city, time, country, world, and meet new and interesting people. This is why I read.

- Confessions from a bookaholic

Posted in WOW Sunday

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No More Wasted Time by Beverly Preston

Posted on January 28, 2012 by TBRG| Leave a comment

Title: No More Wasted Time

Series: Matthews Family bk 1

Author: Beverly Preston

Genre: Contemporary

After losing her husband to a sudden heart attack, Tess Mathews escapes to Bora Bora to lay her husband and sorrow to rest. What she doesn’t expect is a new beginning. Tom Clemmins is an A-list actor whose life revolves around work and an onslaught of women. He travels to Bora Bora for a much-needed break. Tom has a few ideas of how he’ll enjoy his vacation, but love isn’t one of them. Until he sees Tess. Reserving a private shark-feeding excursion to scatter her husband’s ashes into the lagoon, Tess is furious when Mr. Hollywood bribes his way onto the boat, leaving her no other choice but to share the boat ride. Tess is torn between tremendous guilt and zealous lust when their boat ride turns into a week full of romance and desire neither thought imaginable. Utterly smitten with a woman for the first time in his life, Tom casts his commitment phobia aside and whisks Tess off to Malibu where he introduces her as his “girlfriend” on the red carpet. As the paparazzi besiege, can Tess survive the media blitz that ensues in order to find her second chance at love?

Beverly Preston’s debut novel shows us what a dynamic and unique voice she has as she takes us on a journey from Vegas to Bora Bora to Europe and back. She paints a picture that makes you believe your there in person.

The first line of this book made me laugh out loud. If you’ve ever been to Vegas you will know exactly why this made me laugh.

As I read Tess’s story I wanted to know her so bad and have her as a friend. Watching as she makes this journey to start all over without her husband and knowing her kids don’t need her as much at times made me cry and others made me cheer.

This is one of those stories that keeps you reading because you want to see what happens to Tess next and then Tess and Tom. Their journey is one of bravery, love and family, because Tess is a mom. This is something that Tom does a really great job of understanding.

There is so much I want to say about this book but I can’t because I don’t want to give anything away. The journey that Tess and Tom and Tess’s kids go on through this book is a poignant look at what happens when a family member is suddenly taken and how the remaining members move on.

If your looking for a romance that isn’t the typical love story but one that has you cheering for the hero and heroine to have their happily ever after then you can’t go wrong with this story. This is one indie author whose books I will definitely be reading again.

Grade A-/B+

Posted in Contemporary, Review

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The Pleasure of Your Kiss by Teresa Medeiros

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Elise| 3 Comments

Title: The Pleasure of Your Kiss

Author: Teresa Medeiros

Genre: Historical

Ashton Burke is a legendary adventurer who has spent the past ten years roaming the globe to forget the girl he left behind. His devil-may-care life is interrupted when he’s hired to rescue his brother’s kidnapped fiancée from a sultan’s harem. Too late, he discovers she is none other than Clarinda Cardew, the very same girl who made off with his jaded heart a decade ago.

The last thing Clarinda wants is to be trapped in a palace of sensual delights with the man whose irresistible kisses still haunt her sleepless nights. Although he vows he is only doing his job, Clarinda quickly realizes that allowing Ashton to rescue her may put her yearning heart in even greater peril. In a journey that takes them from the delicious intrigues of a sultan’s court to the glittering ballrooms of London, Ashton and Clarinda resume the steps of their dangerous dance only to discover the most seductive pleasure of all may be love itself.

This book reminded me of all the reasons I fell in love with Teresa Medeiros a long time ago. While I’ve enjoyed her recent books of the past few years, Ms. Medeiros’ voice and style really seem to shine with stories like this.

Clarinda and Ash were young lovers once, before Ash felt the need to go off on his own and prove himself worthy of her. Many years later Clarinda is engaged to Ash’s brother and travels to meet him for their wedding, but she and her best friend Poppy are captured by corsairs when their ship is attacked, then they are sold into a harem. Clarinda’s fiance has his own reasons for not being able to rescue her from the harem and instead makes a bargain with Ash to save the women.

This book was one of many surprises. First of all, the sultan who bought Clarinda and her friend from the slave traders was sent to an English school by his father and actually knew both Ash and his brother Max as children. Because of this, and because Ash actually saves Farouk when he first arrives at his palace, the question is not how Ash can steal Clarinda away from an enemy, but how he can still her away from a friend.

Secondly, I’m not usually a fan of secondary romances, but I really enjoyed and even looked forward to the development of the relationship between Farouk and Poppy.

As for Ash and Clarinda, the best word I can use to describe reading about their relationship is simply: fun. Per classic Medeiros, we have much banter and witty dialogue, and there are several sexy scenes where Clarinda must play out her role as guest of the harem in front of Ash. I read another review of this book in which the reader said that it reminded her of an Indiana Jones storyline, and I would definitely agree that there was a great aspect of adventure in this book. As Ash and Clarinda work together to try to escape the palace, secrets are revealed that show how each wanted to be with the other after their initial separation, but (believable) circumstances and misunderstandings got in the way. Reading about these failed reconciliations made me root for them all the more and made up for the occasional times I wished for more emotional depth between the two.

Overall, I highly recommend this book for historical romance readers who long for something outside of the ordinary. Teresa Medeiros remains one of the best storytellers of the genre.

Grade: A-

Posted in Historical, Review

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Trouble at the Wedding by Laura Lee Guhrke

Posted on January 26, 2012 by TBRG| Leave a comment

Title: Trouble at the Wedding

Series: Abandoned at the Altar #3

Author: Laura Lee Guhrke

Genre: Historical, Edwardian

Annabel is about to marry the perfect man…

The last thing Miss Annabel Wheaton desires is true love. She learned the hard way that love makes a woman foolish and only leads to heartache. That’s why she agreed to marry an earl who needs her money. He’s got a pedigree and a country estate, and he won’t ever break her heart. There’s only one problem…

Christian isn’t about to let her marry that pompous prig…

Christian Du Quesne, Duke of Scarborough, thinks this stubborn heiress is about to make the biggest mistake of her life, and he’s determined to stop her. Tempting beautiful women is Christian’s forte, after all. When her family offers him a nice sum of money to stop the wedding, he’s happy to accept. Falling in love with Annabel wasn’t supposed to be part of the bargain…

I hate having to write this review, because I have been a huge fan of Laura Lee Gurhke’s for a long time. I can’t remember a book of hers before this that I wouldn’t have heartily recommended. Sadly, I can barely recommend this one.

Trouble at the Wedding began with such promise. Annabel Wheaton is just the type of heroine that I love: smart, independent, and strong. She’s also a Southern girl, which I immediately liked, as it was refreshing to read a heroine who’s “different” from the typical Englishwomen born of the aristocracy and New York heiresses. I liked her immensely, and I liked the hero, Christian Du Quesne, immensely as well. In fact, I enjoyed the first half of this book immensely, when the question of whether or not Christian is going to be able to keep Annabel from marrying her scumbag fiancee remains unresolved.

And yet, when that question is resolved and she doesn’t marry him…well, the second half of the book just fell flat. The characters didn’t sparkle anymore, the plot was mundane and predictable and seemed to center on nothing but lust. To say it was disappointing would be an understatement.

With that being said, I remain a loyal LLG fan; she is still on my list of auto-reads. I just hope the next book can redeem this one.

Grade: C-

Posted in Historical, Review

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Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow

Posted on January 25, 2012 by TBRG| 4 Comments

 Title: Sweet Enemy

Series: A Veiled Seduction Novel Book 1

Author: Heather Snow

Genre: Historical Romance

 

Geoffrey Wentworth, the Earl of Stratford, is a war hero focused on affairs of king  and country rather than on affairs of the heart.  Nevertheless, his mother is playing matchmaker, and has invited potential brides to visit the family estate.  Geoffrey resigns himself to playing host to a gaggle of husband hunters more interested in his title than in him – until he unexpectedly meets one notable and intriguing exception. 

        Miss Liliana Claremont has no interest in being an earl’s wife, least of all Wentworth’s – the son of the man she believes murdered her father.  Liliana is determined to find evidence of the crime, but her behavior rouses the earl’s suspicions as well as her own undeniable attraction to a man she thought was her enemy. 

         As Geoffrey and Liliana explore their growing passion for each other, the truth behind their fathers’ enmity threatens to destroy their newfound love..….

Whenever I read a debut book from an author I go into it a bit excited and a little hopeful that I will have found a new favorite, only to be disappointed too many times to count when it did not quite hit the spot for me.  Well I am happy to say this is not one of this times!  I picked up Sweet Enemy and at first thought it sounded a little familiar but that feeling ended after page 3, the next thing I know I am almost done with the book, could not put it down!  Not often do I pick up something that sucks me in so thoroughly  that I have no concept of anything else but the world in the book I am reading.  Thank you Heather Snow for transporting me somewhere else for a much needed escape!

I fell in love with Liliana, her bravery in the face of danger, courage to go after what she wants, and loyalty to those she loves.   And what a hero in Geoffrey; not only is he a war hero but fights for the basic rights of his fellow comrades, he knows what is important in life and is not afraid to put his heart on the line.  This is a couple that will go down as one of the best in romance and make you want to reread Sweet Enemy for years to come.

The book has it all: intrigue, romance, betrayal, romance, treasure hunting, romance, humor, romance, and a HEA of course.  I have to say I am looking forward to the next installment in the series.  Now to go clean off those shelves and make room for another keeper.

Grade A+

 

Posted in Historical, Review

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RomCon Tuesday

Posted on January 24, 2012 by TBRG| 2 Comments

It is time once again to spotlight some of the fabulous authors coming to RomCon.  Don’t forget to keep track of all the books you are reading as one lucky winner will be receiving registration to RomCon; you can do this on the spreadsheet or you can join us over at Shelfari where you can actually post the books you have read and share some good suggestions.

Now on to our authors of the week:

Kimberly Killion is not only a fabulous author but I am lucky enough to have her as my cheerleader in the next Romance Biggest Winner 2 competition.  She is such an inspiring person and I look forward to the next few months getting to know her more.  I decided to pick up her newest book My Cursed Highlander and so far it is great, I am having a hard time putting it down and getting work of any sort done.  Here is a little more about her:

Do you remember the teacher who made a difference in your life?

I do. His name was Dr. Krantz. He was my mythology teacher. While attending college near Kansas City, I was working toward a Bachelor in Fine Arts when I discovered I had to take an elective. I pulled “Mythology” out of a hat, and it was there I found Dr. Krantz. The book wasn’t Romeo and Juliet, as you might suspect, but Dante’s Inferno-a Divine Comedy indeed. Talk about an intriguing read.

Sure, I bought Cliffs Notes—I was eighteen. With a three-hour block of nude figure drawing and rocks to sculpt, who has time to read? Well, I read it. Cover to cover, after which, I read Oedipus, The Iliad, The Odyssey, and a few other Greek tragedies.

I walked away with, not only an “A” in the class, but a love for all things tragic, passionate, and historic. I did receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with which I have enjoyed a rewarding career as a graphic designer for more than fifteen years. I moved on from the ancient authors of yesteryear and became engrossed in the writings of Julie Garwood, Teresa Medeiros, and Gaelen Foley — just to name a few.

Although an artist by profession, I traded my paintbrush for a pen about ten years ago. After writing and illustrating a mystical world of fairies, I began to explore the realm of romance novels. Currently, I work part-time as a College Instructor in St. Louis, Missouri. It is here that I bring my passion for words and the arts into the grueling boredom of lecture to spark the lives of hundreds of young minds.

I reside in Illinois with my two children and a gaggle of cats. I’m a proud member of Romance Writers of America® and Missouri RWA. In addition, I am a member of Hearts Through History as well as PASIC and Novelist, Inc. It is within these organizations where I have found a great deal of support, along with a wealth of knowledge from seasoned authors, workshops, critique groups, and friendly camaraderie.

Every day is a new beginning, as I discover a fascinating character in every person I meet. With every puckered brow or mischievous smile, there’s a hero evolving and a heroine fast at his heels.


Hillary Seidl  I have not had the pleasure of reading a book by Hillary yet but I will be changing that this week.

 I’m an avid reader of romance (since I could get away with it!) and a writer of contemporary/paranormal romance.  I start to freak out if I don’t see a paranormal or ghost hunting show in over a week.  

When I was a little girl, my parents owned a restaurant that was in a haunted building.  It was so amazing to see things happen right in front of me that could not be explained!  The situation flamed my love for the paranormal.  

When I was a teen I wrote a series of mini books.  As an adult, I worked a series of jobs, I never found anything that spoke to my soul.   

I will be honest… I’m a huge fan of Supernatural!  Hot guys solving paranormal mysteries?  I’m there!  That’s when I started writing fan fiction.  Fan fiction is very fun but something was missing. I missed the romance! That is when I started my writing journey.

 More than anything in this world I just want to write.  I am married to my wonderful husband Aaron, who is a Chef in Boulder,Colorado and we have two wonderful miniature dachshunds, Leela and Fry, who are both clever as they are long.  

 

Happy Reading Everyone!

Posted in RomCon Reading Challenge, RomCon Tuesday

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Beauty Dates the Beast by Jessica Sims

Posted on January 23, 2012 by TBRG| 2 Comments

Title: Beauty Dates the Beast

Series: Shifters bk 1

Author: Jessica Sims

Genre: Paranormal Romance

WANTED

Single human female to join charming, wealthy single male were-cougar for a night of romantic fun – and maybe more.

Me: The tall, sensuous, open-minded leader of my clan.

You: A deliciously curvy virgin who’s intimately familiar with what goes bump in the night. Must not be afraid of a little tail. Prefer a woman who’s open to exploring her animal nature. Interest in nighttime walks through the woods a plus.

My turn-ons include protecting you from the worst the supernatural world has to offer.

Ready for an adventure? Give me a call.

Vampires and doppelgangers need not apply.

Inside the book

Bathsheba Ward is human, which means dating supernaturals is strictly forbidden–unless the

interested party happens to be the powerful head of their Alliance. So when were-cougar Beau Russell insists that she join him for dinner at a fancy French restaurant, she agrees. Not because the man is so incredibly hot he makes her hormones sing. She’s more interested in saving her desk job at an exclusive dating service that caters to a clientele with rather . . . eclectic tastes.

But just try hiding a supernatural family secret when your would-be boyfriend has supersharp
animal senses. Then again, try protecting yourself from a bloodthirsty, home-invading mythological creature with just a bottle of liquid silver and a carving knife.

Maybe having an über-sexy supernatural partner isn’t such a bad idea after all. 

When I got this book I wasn’t sure what to expect from it, and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by it. It is one of those really cute fun books that has you laugh out loud and the antics of the heroine Bath.

This book is told in the first person and I have got to say that in some instances the first person really works for me, especially in the paranormal world. Especially if the heroine isn’t a paranormal person. All of which are this book.

There is a lot I can say about Bath and Beau and their journey to their HEA but do that I will have to write spoilers and I don’t do that. So I’m just going to tell you that this is fun book with twists and turns and characters that make you want to keep reading to find out what is going to happen.

This is a book that I think anyone who enjoys shifter stories with an interesting cast of characters will like.

Grade B+

Posted in FF&P, Paranormal

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WOW Sunday

Posted on January 22, 2012 by TBRG| 2 Comments

Okay it’s Game Day and today we will find out who is going to the Superbowl. Carly Phillips and Shannon Stacey two of this blogs favorite authors are HUGE Patriot fans so today’s WoW Sunday is for them…

TOM BRADY YOU ARE THE MAN AND WILL DELIVER ANOTHER SUPERBOWL!

Posted in WOW Sunday

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