Tuesday Treasures - November, 10 (books received)

Most of the books listed below I received today, the packages from The Bookdepository just kept dropping and dropping on the doormat and when I was preparing this blogpost another one was delivered by the packages mailman. I have to mailmen, one delivers the mail that fits in the mailbox, the other one delivers packages that don't fit in the mailbox or packages I need to sign for.

Since I ordered my monthly order about a week and a half ago and there were some pre-orders in the works it's quite a list this week, so I can hear Mt. TBR sighing deeply under the weight of new books added to it. But I'll start with books that are going straight to the shelves without having to climb Mt. TBR as they have been read as ARCs:

Read ROYAL'S BRIDE for ROOB and won the ARC for SKIN GAME on Ann Aguirre's blog, read it and reviewed it on the Blog

Fantasy Romance

• This is book 4 in the Tairen Soul series, of which I have only read the first book: LORD OF THE FADING LANDS.

Romantic Suspense

• This is a new to me author, as far as I know these are stand alones and her third book: SLEEP NO MORE, is coming out in January 2010

• I won HOT AS SIN in a contest over at Dear Author and it's book 2 in the Hot Shots: Men of Fire series of which I have yet to read book 1, WILD HEAT
• THE WRONG SIDE OF DEAD is book two in the Sweet Justice series, I have yet to read a book by this author but have been collecting her trilogies from the moment the first one came out!
• WAKING THE DEAD is the 3rd book the Mind Hunter series of which I have the other two on the TBR, waiting to be read.
• SHOW NO FEAR is book number 7 in the Navy Seals series, a series I have also on the shelves but is still unread. Heard on Twitter that this series might be discontinued by the publisher. I still hope it won't come to that. 

Historical Romance

• TO DESIRE A DEVIL is the final book of the Four Soldiers Series and this is finally a series I am up to date with and as soon as I'm done with my reading for ROOB I am tackling this book by one of my favorite authors. 
• Another favorite historical romance author of mine is Jenna Petersen, WHAT THE DUKE DESIRES is the first book in a new series by her: The Billingham Bastards and I look forward to this new series!

• MASTERED BY LOVE is the final installment of the Bastion Club, I have only read the prequel of this series so I have my work cut out for me to reach this final book of the series.
• THE INFAMOUS ROGUE is the the first full length book of The Hawkins Brothers (there is also the ebook prequel: Mistress of Paradise), this is a spin-off series tied to the Too series and I will sound like a broken record now but still have to read that series too.
• WITH SEDUCTION IN MIND is book 4 in the Girl-Bachelor series, another series I have but have to start reading

Paranormal Romance

You must have discovered a certain pattern by now with the books that arrived this week so I'll say upfront that these two paranormal romance books are also parts of series I haven't started reading yet, but they are occuping their spots on my shelves, patiently waiting their turn.

• BIG BAD WOLF is an expanded and updated version of the novel previously titled, Fur Factor, I have only read a novella by Christine Warren which was part of the No Rest For the Witches anthology and was set in the Others series world. After that I bought the Others series, but I think I will reacquaint myself with Warren's writing with BIG BAD WOLF before I start the Others series. 
• DESTINED FOR AN EARLY GRAVE is the 4th book of the Night Huntress series and you know the drill :)

What books have you received this week? And did they go straight to the reading pile or do you have to play catch up like I do? 

ROOB Requested Review: Royal's Bride - Kat Martin

Though he is a titled nobleman, Royal Dewar is singularly unlucky ...forced to choose between his soul mate ...and his salvation.

After years abroad, Royal has returned to Bransford Castle to find his father dying and the family treasury nearly empty. Then the old duke wrests a final promise from his guilt-ridden son: that Royal will marry heiress Jocelyn Caulfield and restore the estate to its former glory. However, it is not his fiancée who quickens Royal's pulse, but rather her beautiful cousin Lily Moran.

Penniless Lily knows that nothing can come of their undeniable attraction―but there is a way she can help Royal. Enlisting some questionable characters from her past, Lily concocts an elaborate ruse to recover some of the Bransford fortune from a notorious confidence artist. As the dangerous scheme unfolds, Lily and Royal are thrown together in pursuit of the very thing―money―that keeps them part...

The back cover blurb of this book summarizes the book perfectly so there’s no need to write one just to repeat what the blurb says and I’ll get right down to business. ROYAL’S BRIDE is great historical romance in which I was easily and effortlessly introduced to the Duke of Bransford’s three sons: Royal, Reese and Rule Dewar, whom after their father’s death are compelled to fulfill their father’s dying wishes. This first book of the Bride’s trilogy focuses on the eldest son. He is to marry a wealthy heiress in order to have funds to restore the Bransford seat in its former glory. But things don’t always happen as we wish or plan and when Royal falls in love with his fiancée’s companion, restoring the family’s fortune seems to the least of his worries.

Although the plot of forced marriage and forbidden love lends room for characters who can be annoying, whining etc…Kat Martin avoids that trap and delivers a main couple that is extremely likable despite the initial illegality of their feelings. Royal Deware is passionate, loyal and dutiful. Even when he knows his heart belongs to Lily he cannot put his father’s dying wish aside carelessly. There was a point in the book where I thought he could have restrained himself better physically but on the other hand it would have surprised me if he had, since the whole forbidden love trope would’ve lost its strength and its purpose. Lily is sweet and caring but also toughened by the life she’s led. She doesn’t let anyone walk over her and is not one to impulsively give into her feelings, not even the strong ones she has for Royal. She is genuinely kindhearted and realistic. She’d rather not have Royal in her life than be with him and betray her family, even if that family doesn’t always treat her right.

There are quite a few secondary characters in this book, but it never felt overcrowded or too much because they all had their roles in the plot and/or romance. One secondary character that pleasantly surprised me in terms of character development was Jocelyn, Royal’s fiancée. Throughout the book she grew from a spoiled, shallow and materialistic girl that I really didn’t care for to a woman who earned my sympathy because she too had been pressured into a situation she didn’t ask for and in the end she did turn out to be sensible and mature. And then there were The Oarsmen, a group of intriguing friends surrounding Royal. They are a diverse group of men, all noblemen, some higher ranked than others, but it’s a tight night group who prove loyal friends to both Royal and Lily.

I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing 4 books by Kat Martin for ROOB now and I must say that ROYAL’S BRIDE is my favorite of the 4. Even though the premise arranged marriage and forbidden love isn’t new or original Kat Martin wrote a story around it that was definitely refreshing. I loved the way she set up this book. The romance, the forbidden attraction, the plot, the characters, they all complemented each other and together formed an excellent, high quality historical romance. One that is intriguing and complicated and compelled me to keep turning the pages to know not if but how Lily and Royal were going to end up together, because that the were going to end up together was clear from the beginning. I was curious how Kat Martin was going have them deal with the Jocelyn (Royal’s fiancée) situation, the financial problem and still give the reader a satisfactory solution and a HEA. My worries were unfounded because Kat Martin pulled it of perfectly.

With ROYAL’S BRIDE Kate Martin delivered a historical romance I could savor and enjoy with wonderful characters, a refreshing take on an age-old trope in romance novels and a carefully dosed amount of conflict and angst, that was never over the top. She even managed to imbed a suspense plot that did not intrude on the romance at all. In fact, romance and suspense complemented each other perfectly.

Finally, in this book intriguing hints are given in regard to Royal’s brothers Reese and Rule and those hints are enough to make me curious about their stories and whether they’ll be as enjoyable reads as ROYAL’S BRIDE was.

Rating: 8.3 out of 10
(ROOB Rating: 4 stars)

Review: Dark Lover - Brenda Joyce

Highland Warriors sworn to protect innocence through the ages...

Ian Maclean’s arrogance hides a terrible secret—for decades he was held prisoner by demons. Not a day goes by that he isn’t tormented by his darkest fears of powerlessness. Now he is about to sell to the highest bidder a page he’s stolen from the Book of Power—if one woman doesn’t stop him.

Every Rose woman has her destiny

Slayer Samantha Rose’s latest mission is to recover the stolen page—and get payback from the only man who’s ever rejected her. What she hasn’t counted on is the raging attraction between them—or her growing realization of what Maclean has survived. As the powers of the evil from his past gather, Sam will do anything to help him—even if it means following him into time and facing his worst nightmares with him...

Ian Maclean is arrogant, wealthy, powerful, selfish and antisocial. These are traits that wouldn’t make a very likeable hero but still he is because his behavior and look on life and the world was profoundly altered after he was killed, revived and held captive for 66 years by his demon grandfather and tortured by said grandfather and his demon friends with their perverted games.

Ever since a demon killed her mother and she wasn’t able to safe her, Sam Rose has taken it upon her to hunt and destroy evil. She is the Slayer of the Rose women. When her job for the Historical Crime Unit (HCU), puts her in the path of Ian Maclean, she has to work together with a man she despises and desires at the same time. While they are both trying to use the other for their own purposes, they are forced to face their fears, enemies and feelings.

Ian fears pain and evil and therefore has wrapped himself in a cocoon of aloofness where he thinks no one can reach him. He needs sex to avoid giving into the horrible flashbacks of his tormented and he uses his wealth to prove to himself he is capable of doing anything he wants and doesn’t have to rely on anyone else for his needs. He may seem the sexy, arrogant, careless playboy but underneath that image he’s build for himself, he is a traumatized man who went through horrors during this abduction and is a long way from recovering from them.

Sam seems to be a free spirit, one who lives life her way, liberated, strong, confident, she doesn’t take crap from anyone, especially men. She is vengeful, smart-mouthed and fearless. Beneath her tough outer shell is a woman who tries to protect herself from hurt by pretending not to care about anything or anyone except fighting evil. She doesn’t allow herself to care because caring means pain when she loses them. She has learned to depend only on herself and her own strength.

Sam and Ian are like to peas from the same pod. They both like to be in control, both like to win, losing is not an option and they always get what they want. This makes them clash like crazy, creating a verbal sparring extravaganza even if they are perfect for each other and they are kindred spirits. From the moment they meet, sparks fly and their interactions and dialogues are sizzling. These two take verbal sparring to a whole other level. I loved the way their romance fitted their characters perfectly. It went from pure sexual attraction to partners fighting evil to love. And both went kicking and screaming all the way. They both crave what the other provides but are not willing to admit it, let alone give into it.

Even though there were many secondary characters, the story focuses mainly on Sam, Ian and their enemies. Nick Forrester, who runs the HCU and is Sam’s boss, is the only character who is deepened out a bit more than the others and I really hope he will get his own book, or at least a substantial secondary storyline in the future. There is just so much surrounding him that intrigues me and arouses my speculative mind.

Am glad I stuck with this series throughout some books that I did not enjoy reading so much (books 2 and 3) because if I had given up on it after the terrible second book I wouldn’t have experienced this amazing and almost perfect installment. This fifth book in the series and final installment of the Rose Trilogy within the series was definitely the best so far. There was no confusing time leaping or messed up chronology. It was the first book in the series that I found easy to follow. The characters were great and the plotline was very good, though I am a bit done now with the resurfacing of Moray (the villain of the series). He’s like the soap opera character that just won’t stay dead. Yet again in this book the solution to the problem of Moray leaves possibilities for resurrection so I won’t be surprised if he shows up again in future installments.

Dark Lover is an action-packed romance novel that is all about freedom, taking control back, despair and passion. It represents the potential of the series and shows Brenda Joyce’s writing talent with strong, willful characters and a well written plot, without distracting and confusing time leaping mechanisms, even if the role of the Masters of Time is less present than in the first 2 books of the series.
Contrary to my normal “stick to the series order” advice I tend to give, in this case, I would recommend the first installment of the series and then this one to readers who’d like to sample this series.

And if you don’t read this book for the romance or plot, you should read it just to discover what intriguing body part adornment Ian has and where it is…and I am not talking tattoos here.

Rating: 8.9 out of 10


My reviews of the other books in this series:
DARK SEDUCTION
DARK RIVAL
DARK EMBRACE
DARK VICTORY

Tuesday Treasures - November 3 (books received)

The old Tuesday Treasures format I initially made, doesn't go well with new lay-out and colors of my blog and as I am pressed for time at the moment because of offline life circumstances I don't have the time right now to make a new, fitting one, so I'm doing a somewhat slimmed down version of Tuesday Treasures and just pimping the books I received over the past week. Received a lot more since I did the last TT but no need to bother you with an endless list. *wink*

Contemporary Romance

Romantic Suspense

Historical Romance

Paranormal Romance

Categories

Review: Damned by Blood - Evie Byrne

Mikhail Faustin is the prince of New York. His authority is absolute, his power unquestioned--and his heart is empty. The pain he carries inside leaves him with nothing to offer a mate. When he discovers that Alya Adad is not only his destined bride but also the source of his misery, his fate is sealed. He must claim the woman he despises most. Or die trying.

Alya Adad is the most powerful of her kind born in generations and a prince in her own right. She's accountable to no man, certainly not to her first lover, Mikhail. Now he has the gall to not only invade her territory, but threaten to take her by force--for a prophecy she doesn't believe in? She'll kill him first.

Their battle for the upper hand is no-holds-barred...until she discovers the one thing his pride didn't want her to know. That she still holds the key to his heart--and his innermost desires. And when a rival vampire clan strikes, letting her guard down is the only way to save him.

After I read the stories on Gregor (BOUND BY BLOOD) and Alexander (CALLED BY BLOOD) Faustin, the wait for Mikhail’s seemed to last forever, even though it was just 4 or 5 months, but from the moment I started reading I was drawn back into the fascinating vampire world Evie Byrne has created for the Faustin Brothers.

Mikhail Faustin is the harshest and most analytical Faustin brother. He isn’t known on the streets as “Iceman”, “Frost” or “Ice” for nothing. He is ruthless, cold, practical and powerful. He respects tradition and doesn’t do sentimental or witty. He is a man of rules and abides by them; compassion is reserved for only his parents and brothers and their wives. I met Mikhail in his brothers’ books and I knew he his story would have to be very different in order to do him justice. All Faustin brothers have distinct personalities and lives and a sweet and moving romance like Alex’ or a witty and fiery one Gregor just wouldn’t do for Mikhail. A meek human bride wouldn’t do either. He needed a woman who would not falter under his ruthlessness and his harsh ways, but one who could give as good as she gets and not be intimidated by him.

In Alya Adad, Mikhail’s former lover and a vampire too, Byrne created the perfect match. She is ruthless, powerful, cruel and power hungry. She has no scruples and is as tough and sarcastic as they come. She is the ruler of the West Coast vampires who are in the midst of a territorial war with the East Coast vampires, ruled by Mikhail. Alya has gotten to the top using all means available and necessary. She has no qualms when it comes to gaining power.

Evie Byrne managed to give all three Faustin brothers their own unique book, bride and vibe. DAMNED BY BLOOD was brutally intense. Neither Mikhail nor Alya budges an inch. They are both fierce warriors and their passion shines through in both their fighting and their loving and this book is a perfect example of the saying: “thin line between love and hate.” While at first I was wondering how their HEA was ever to be achieved with so much complications and resistance between them, I think Ms. Byrne solved this perfectly and absolutely fitting of both the storyline and the characters.

Even though BOUND BY BLOOD (Gregor) is still my favorite of the three, DAMNED BY BLOOD has definitely made a big impression on me too. I was enthralled and fascinated by this book’s intensity and raw, violent feel. It really isn’t for the faint of heart. If you’re expecting a sweet and witty vampire romance, skip this book. It’s intense and violent. Mikhail and Alya fight and hurt each other, both emotionally and physically and it takes a prominent position in the story. It almost seems to dominate and takes over the romance, but it was the only way to deliver Mikhail’s story and do it justice. A fluffy romantic story just wouldn’t do here and I was happy to see this.
Evie Byrne pulled it off and in my opinion, she strengthened the romance by staying true to the way she portrayed Mikhail in the other two books.

The vampire world Evie Byrne has created with the Faustin Brothers Trilogy is captivating and refreshingly unique. It’s a paranormal world I haven’t encountered before and I’ve read my share of paranormal/vampire romance. The pull of Evie Byrne’s writing is powerful and comprises dark humor, strong and consistent characterization and a heavy emotional impact. You cannot read these books and remain untouched by world, the characters and the writing. I am sad to have come to the end of this fascinating world and secretly hope Ms. Byrne has more in store for us within this alluring world of unique vampires.

Quotes:
“You think this is my idea?”
“You’re in my house, asshole. Holding the gun you shot me with.”
There was that. Mikhail emptied the semi-automatic in front of her, releasing the magazine and tossing it onto the sofa and carefully ejecting the loaded round.
If he were Alex, he’d say something charming and give her a lopsided grin. Gregor would…well, he didn’t understand what women saw in Gregor, actually. But whatever it was, he didn’t have it. Mikhail knew he was cold and dry and unappealing to women, and he didn’t have any experience at courtship. All he could be was practical.



*****
He pushed back her hair, searching her face. He lowered his head and sniffed her, skimming his nose over her forehead and nuzzling her hair. She couldn’t help but sniff too. The skin on the underside of his jaw smelled good beyond belief.
“You’ve changed.” Mikhail’s eyes shut in ecstasy as his nostrils flared again. “Your blood. Your scent. My God.”
Yes. His scent had changed, too. It had become an airborne drug. She clenched her jaw to stop her teeth from chattering. She wanted to rub her face against his skin. She wanted to cut him open and climb inside.
Mikhail pressed her to the sheets. His mouth slanted over hers. Primal masculine satisfaction radiated from him, body and brain. It flooded her mind. It flavored his kiss. It said, Mine.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

My reviews of the other books in this trilogy:
BOUND BY BLOOD
CALLED BY BLOOD

ARC-review: The Christmas Clock - Kat Martin

Sylvia Winters returns to her hometown where 8 years ago she broke her engagement to Joe Dixon. Stricken with cervical cancer, Syl moved away for treatment but never told Joe the truth. To heal the pain of his fiancée’s imagined betrayal, Joe turned to drinking and accidentally killed a man. Now Joe is out of prison and Syl is back in town but it will take a miracle to restore their lost love.

Lottie Sparks and her grandson, Teddy also live in town. Eight-year old Teddy lives with Lottie, his only living relative. Teddy loves his grandmother so much and desperately wants to buy her the old Victorian clock she adores in the window of Tremont Antiques ~a clock that vividly reminds her of her childhood. But the memory is soon to fade along with al the rest as her Alzheimer advances.

Summer turns to fall and Lottie worsens. With winter approaching, will a Christmas miracle be enough to bring the people of Dreyerville hope, love and redemption?

Honesty compels me to admit that I started reading this book with a few preconceived notions: I thought it was going to be a Christmas story and was not in the mood for a Christmas story in a warm August month. I thought it was going to be a story centered around an 8-year old boy and wasn't in the mood for a romance-less children's story and finally I thought it was an anthology story and I wasn't in the mood to read a short story with no room for a well-rounded story or fleshed out characters.

Subsequently, I went into this story with low expectations but from the moment I read the prologue, I knew I was going to be proven very wrong. The prologue intrigued me and due to some personal issues in the past, the first chapter caused me to choke up and I knew this was definitely not going to be a light and breezy Christmas story. And now after having read the book I have to eat my words (or rather thoughts) and fess up that Kat Martin surprised me and wiped out my preconceived notions entirely with a well-written, beautiful, heart wrenching and romantic story that brought a lump to my throat and a fuzzy, warm feeling to my heart.

THE CHRISTMAS CLOCK isn't a just story about a boy who wants to buy his grandmother a clock and the people surrounding him. It's about the lives of a woman dealing with a horrible disease eating away at her memories, her everyday functioning and the ability to take care of her grandson. It's about a young couple that was torn apart by fear and lies and is now trying to overcome their pasts and find happiness. It's about an older couple finding their way back to each other after having slipped into their own worlds and everyday comfort, neglecting the joy of loving each other and each other’s company.

This was a book that is far from my usual reads; it is definitely a different style of contemporary romance I am used to reading. It was not fast-paced and there was no action or suspense. There was no witty fun and the heat level was far from sizzling. Instead I was treated to a story that was touching, lovely and heartfelt and to characters that were true to life. All the character’s backgrounds and history were touching, their actions were endearing and their emotions were genuine. I liked and empathized with each and every one of them. From Freddy, a brave and sweet boy who wanted to buy his grandmother the clock she desired and finds a new family to love, to Dottie who was coping with a disease she had no control over, to Sylvia who was reunited with her one true love whom she had pushed away to shield him from pain and loss, to Joe, who was left devastated by Sylvia's rejection and slipped into destructive behavior but managed to overcome it all, to Dottie and Floyd who rediscovered marital happiness. They all won my admiration and affection and made this a memorable read. Kat Martin did an amazing job of intertwining the lives of all these characters in a realistic and subtle matter, writing towards an ending that was a little bit predictable but no less impressive or touching.

To me THE CHRISTMAS CLOCK read like the Wednesday night true-story movies I used to watch together with my mom, when I was a young girl and as with the movies I couldn't but wipe away a tear on occasion and breath a sigh of content relief with the happy ending.

Rating: 7.3 out of 10
(ROOB Rating: 3,5 stars)

Winner of the Make-Over Giveway is...

And we have a winner!!

BELLA

You chose SKIN GAME...a very, very good choice. Please contact me via email with your mailing address at pearl(at)realmsonourbookshelves(dot)com so I can put things in motion to get you SKIN GAME!

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Timestamp: 2009-10-28 15:52:03 UTC

ARC-review: Skin Game - Ava Gray

A beautiful fugitive—wanted dead or alive. 

Kyra is a con woman and a particular kind of thief. She steals with a touch, but she only takes one thing: her target’s strongest skill. Which means she can be a fighter, an athlete, a musician, an artist—anything she wants… for a limited time. Heartbroken, she turns her gift toward avenging her father’s murder; with deadly patience, Kyra works her way into casino owner Gerard Serrano’s inner circle. After pulling off the ultimate con, she flees with his money and his pride.

A hit man who never misses the mark. 

Reyes has nothing but his work. Pity for Kyra, he’s the best and mercy never sways him once he takes a job. He’s been hired to find out where Kyra hid the cash—and bring her back to face Serrano’s “justice.” Dead will do, if he can’t locate the loot. He’s never failed to complete a contract, but Kyra tempts him with her fierce heat and her outlaw heart. So Reyes has a hell of a choice: forsake his word or kill the woman he might love.

I won this ARC on Ann Aguirre’s (Ava Gray’s alter ego) blog and I think it’s safe to say that it’s the best win of this year, even if we still have 2 months left to go. I can’t imagine another book having the impact on me this one had. Despite having the books by Ava Gray’s alter ego on my shelf this was the first taste of her writing for me and it definitely tastes like more. If I were asked to describe SKIN GAME in one word, it would be: compelling. It’s the first word that came to mind and it describes this book perfectly. SKIN GAME sucked me in, slowly and surely it got under my skin and didn’t want to let me go. Even now a few weeks after finished it and even though I don’t do re-reads, ever, I am certain this book will be re-read and maybe multiple times even.

Ava Gray’s writing really resonates with me, she penned down a mixture of romance and suspense with a sarcastic and raw undertone that worked wonderfully. She’s an admirable storyteller and a most talented writer. The way she builds up the setting and the plot, using a perfect combination of descriptions, dialogues and emotions is astounding. She doesn’t dumb down the language and regularly uses movies references, which I loved and they were never disturbing or annoying but rather fitting the rest of the book. There is never any question to what her meaning or purpose is with the language and references. The writing, the characters, the plot and the pace all conspired to lure me into a story that worked for me on so many levels I am still amazed at it. The reader has information the characters don’t have and knows the basics of the plot but still I was very curious as to where it was going and how certain things were going to pan out.

One of the things I undoubtedly liked about SKIN GAME were the characters, from the main couple, Kyra and Reyes, to secondary characters as Mia and Foster, to the villain Gerard Serrano, they were all exceptionally portrayed and developed. Next to the dialogues, the characters are a major strong point in Gray’s writing. Let’s face it, an author who names her hero Porfirio Ten-Bears Reyes and manages to make me forget that outrageous name and focus on the amazing character he is, deserves to be praised for that.

SKIN GAME swept me away to a world of suspense, intrigue and on top of that I got a story of raw passion between two people so alike that they are perfect for each other. I loved the chemistry between Kyra and Reyes. I loved how Reyes would chase and Kyra would find ways to outwit him. I joined them on a road trip and the further their trip progressed, the more their relationship developed from assassin and target to partners in crime to lovers and soul mates. Kyra doesn’t fit in any mold. She’s a free spirit, both literally and figuratively and this is what attracts Reyes to her. Reyes tries hard to stay in control of his emotions, her and his assignment. It’s hard but he manages to fight the attraction and his feelings. This made him an even stronger character to me.

One thing puzzled me at first about Kyra and Reyes: How come Reyes got immune to Kyra’s talent? I was hoping for an explanation for it by the end of the book and when I didn’t get it, the only thing I could think of was that being in each other’s vicinity so much must have made Reyes resistant to it. I reminded myself that Kyra had always shied away from repeated contact with other people so for me this explanation is the one I’m sticking with until the author tells me otherwise. Though this had me thinking for a while, it didn’t bother me or impede me from enjoying the characters. I definitely appreciated that Kyra stayed cautious and vigilant despite her attraction and growing feelings for Reyes. It was refreshing to see that Gray doesn’t make the mistake some romance authors make of letting the heroine (or hero) spill their guts the moment their hearts (or other body parts) come into play. Gray handled this part of the story excellently and it earned her some extra points.

The villain of the book, Gerard Serrano, is a paranoid and ruthless control freak. He reminded me a bit of Shannon McKenna’s villains but with a lessened “icky” factor, which made him more realistic and more believable.
Speaking of villains, let’s talk about Foster. He intrigued me from the very moment he stepped into Serrano’s office and the book. I knew from the start there was so much more to him than met the eye and he was definitely not whom he was making me believe he was. My suspicions were confirmed in a few scenes that were as tantalizing and mesmerizing, as they were confusing. Scenes that raised many questions in me, questions I hope will be answered in his own story, SKIN TIGHT, which is coming out Summer 2010. I have formed my own ideas about him, but will have to wait and see if my speculations are correct. He managed to distract me from Kyra and Reyes and that was quite an achievement as they aren’t characters that can be easily surpassed. I fell for Foster from the start and have no doubt my fan club membership is a lifelong one.

Even though SKIN GAME is labeled and being marketed as paranormal romance (for obvious and understandable reasons), in my opinion, it belongs in the romantic suspense section of the romance genre and takes a special and unique place within it. As some may know I am a big fan of romantic suspense and this was romantic suspense as it’s meant to be: compelling, mind-blowing, excellently set up without the fluffy embellishments of unnecessary action or missions impossible. It’s raw and candid writing that allowed complicated emotions to come through loud and clear. It’s wonderfully written with a perfect pace, excellent character development and an intriguing plot. This is one of those books you don’t want to end and yet you can’t stop reading so you try to drag it out to make it last as long as you can. I really didn’t want to reach the end because I knew I would have to leave this amazing story and the intricate characters Kyra, Reyes and Foster turned out to be, behind. I am more than ready for the next installment in this series and that’s not just because Foster will be the hero of it.

SKIN GAME is a very good read for readers who appreciate romantic suspense with paranormal elements and a perfect must-read for those of us craving unembellished writing, raw action and strong characters that you need to peel through their layers to get to their cores.

Rating: 9.3 out of 10

Pimping the Faves: All Jacked Up - Lorelei James

If you've been keeping track of my blog and reviews it won't be a surprise that Lorelei James is one of my favorite authors! And she has a new fix for my addiction coming up soon. Unfortunately I have been side-tracked lately, both by some newly discovered authors and by my life outside the reading realm, but I know that the moment this ebook is available at My Bookstore and More, I will be hitting that buy/download button so hard and fast, my computer won't know what hit it.

I really can't wait for this story. I've met both Keely and Jack in previous books and this is going to be one explosive firecracker of a book. But before that I still have a novella (on Quinn & Libby) and Rough Riders book 7 (Cam's story) to devour!!

I leave you with some info and with the advice that if you like em scorching hot AND heartwrenching, you'd better hop on Lorelei James' Rough Rider train without any delay!!

ALL JACKED UP
...Pulling off the ultimate con... if they can keep from pulling off their clothes.

Keely McKay knows Jack—and Jack Donohue is a certified pain in her Wranglers. The lone girl in the prolific McKay family, Keely needs another man giving her orders like she needs a hole in her boot. What she does need is a restoration specialist so she can open her physical therapy clinic—and prove she’s left her wild-child days behind. That means dealing with buttoned-down, uptight Jack.

Jack is this close to securing a career make-or-break project, until he learns his lack of marital status puts him out of contention. When the notoriously hot-tempered and hot-bodied Keely begs him for help, he proposes a crazy idea. He’ll oversee her project—if she acts the part of his loving fiancée.

Their sizzling lust makes it all too easy to go from butting heads to knocking boots—but outside the bedroom they’re as mismatched as ever. The McKays remind Jack of the humble upbringing he left behind, and cowgirl Keely feels she doesn’t measure up to Jack’s big-city lifestyle.

When the dust settles, Jack and Keely must face the fact they’re not fooling anyone but themselves—or they’ll risk losing the real deal.

Warning: this book contains one hot-blooded cowgirl and one cool-headed businessman in a stripped-down, revved-up game of sexual truth or dare.

Click HERE for an excerpt!

Series: Rough Riders (book 8)
Release Date: November 3, 2009
Publisher: Samhain Publishing (eBook)
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 978-1-60504-684-6

My reviews of the previous books:
1. Long Hard Ride
2. Rode Hard, Put Up Wet
3. Cowgirl Up and Ride
4. Tied Up, Tied Down
5. Rough, Raw and Ready
6. Branded as Trouble

Click HERE to visit Lorelei’s website

First change has come & Giveaway

Pearl proudly presents: her new and improved made-over Blog!!!!
Thanks to the wonderful Barbara from Designs by Barbara I have achieved blog bliss. Barbara took my wishes and instructions and made me a place in Blogland I can feel right at home in. It's exactly as I envisioned it and then some!

I hope the visual changes have been agreeable to everyone. It certainly has for me and I've already had some great feedback on the new blog for which I again want to thank Barbara, because if I wasn't for her I'd be pulling my hair out by the roots at this moment and I wouldn't have this spiffy new place to brag about.

So, what has changed?
Well duh! The lay-out, colours and header of course, those changes are pretty obvious.

What else can you expect on the "new" blog? As announced in my blog about changes a while back:

Rating
I have changed the rating systems from stars and flames to 0-10 rating. Please note that I have not applied this to reviews from September and older as it would take me a bunch of hours to do this, hours which I don't have to spare.
Furthermore, in line of the new rating not being applied to earlier reviews, I also haven't replaced the images with the old background color in them. Again this would cost me too much time. I may be changing them in due course whenever I have time or when the situation asks for it.

Mini-reviews
The first mini-review round up blog is to be expected in the near future.
I will not be making as many elaborate, "full" reviews as I used to. Of course the reviews of the ARCs and review requests (both for ROOB and for the blog) will be full and elaborate as always but as for the enormous amount of books on my TBR (past, present and future) it's not doable to review them all as extensively as I have always been doing. Again this has to do with lack of time. (do we see a theme here?) Time I'd rather spend reading to be honest. And believe me, there will always be books that demand an extensive review and who am I to deny them that.

Genre focus: 
I will be focusing on contemporary romance, romantic suspense, thrillers and mysteries, as these are my favorite genres to read. Of course for variation and since I also have favorite authors in the paranormal, historical and urban fantasy genre, these genres will not be neglected.

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Give away
In celebration of my new blog I decided to do a giveaway. It's very simple, all you have to do is to let me know via the comments what book you are looking forward to reading but haven't had the chance to yet because you don't have it. (I am not talking hard to find/out of print books here)

On Tuesday October 27th I will randomly pick a commenter who will receive the book of her (or his) choice via The Bookdepository.

This giveaway is open to all, worldwide

Looking forward to your choices!