Pearl's World of Romance - Reviews with a Passion

ARC-Review: UNWRAPPED by Cari Quinn

2011-12-05T22:30:00.010+01:00

Caitlyn Sachs has a great life. A family she loves, check. An incredible design job working with her best friends, Tristan and Matt, check. An amazing home she shares with the guys, double check. But her upcoming twenty-fifth birthday and the desire to shed the burden of her virginity have spurred her to consider something shocking. All she wants is one uncomplicated night with one of her best friends, no strings attached. But how can she choose?

Except there’s another problem. Tristan and Matt are already involved sexually with each other, much to Cait’s shock. And both men have long harbored feelings for Cait that go way beyond friendship. When they whisk her away for her birthday to a cabin in the mountains, she discovers the extent of their lust—and her own. The gift they give her is one she'll never forget.

But when the weekend's over, will she retreat to the safety of the status quo, if they'll even let her? Or will she finally embrace what she's secretly craved for so long

Title: UNWRAPPED
Author: Cari Quinn
Series: standalone (as far as I know)
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Loose ID
Year of release: 2011, December 6
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC from the publisher for review

First line:
When plotting to finally lose your virginity, being swarmed by children—cute as they may be—definitely added a douse of cold water.

Memorable Scenes:
- Cait catching Tristan and Matt in the 'act' > awesome scene, what a way to introduce the m/m part of this story!
- Every. Single. Sex scene > no explanation needed, they were trademark Cari Quinn: hot doesn't even come close!

Caitlyn 'Cait' Sachs likes her ordered life in contrast to the chaos of her family's. She wants to do well in life, she’s ambitious, has a wild imagination sometimes, and underneath her good girl reputation she's wicked and naughty when it comes to her sexual needs. She’s also independent and headstrong. Cait isn’t perfect and I loved that about her. She has her flaws and the way she perceives her family (mother and sisters) is one of them, but she’s willing to face that and acknowledge her faults.

Then there are the two heroes of this story. They were awesome each on their own but together they were irresistible.

Tristan Baldwin is seemingly unflappable, yet volatile when he loses his calm. He can be very stubborn and quick-tempered but he’s also sweet, refined, impulsive and protective.

Matt Collins is the rational, sensible one of the triad. He’s also rugged and patient. Even though he’s not the one prone to talking about his feelings he's the one who discusses the feelings between the three of them first and sets the whole ménage in motion.

So we have three best friends, working together at their graphic design business and living together with the two men turning to each other when their desire for Cait remains unanswered. What they don't know is that Cait wants to lose her virginity and intends to ask one of them to take care of it. What Cait doesn't know is that her best friends have been dying for a chance to have her...together. This is the perfect set-up for this magnificently written ménage. A wild weekend turns into something permanent, but not without some complicating factors along the way.

The sex scenes nearly did me in. They are so hot and so excellently written. I’ve said it before and I'll say it again and keep repeating it till the day I quit reviewing romance novels: when it comes to sizzling, explicit, arousing sex scenes no one beats Cari Quinn. It's like she goes into my head and finds what I find extremely hot and puts that on paper. And let me tell you that’s pretty eerie. She writes erotic romance that will heat up even the most frigid readers. And if her writing doesn't affect you that way, erotic romance just might not be your thing!

The secondary cast of UNWRAPPED is comprised of family members of all three main characters. They all played an important role in the emotional part of the story and even though some of them weren’t always likeable in their reactions, I mostly liked them and the way they offered support to the main characters. I especially liked Cait’s youngest sister Valerie. Brave, brave kid!

Cari Quinn has been on my favorite author list from the first ever book I read by her. And with every next book she just secured that spot more. UNWRAPPED is once again awesomely written. It's the perfect combination of the elements Cari Quinn always masters in a brilliant way: hot explicit sex, extremely likeable and believable characters, talented writing and the emotional intensity that just gets to me every single time!

I adore how layered Cari Quinn's work is. Both in her writing and in her characters. On the surface the topics and her characters may seem everyday and common but the layers she puts on them through her writing and the emotionality makes her books stand out in the vast pool of erotic contemporary romance. UNWRAPPED could have been just another friends-to-lovers ménage story with a holiday-themed background but Cari Quinn makes it into so much more by giving the characters and their story a uniqueness through the emotional difficulties and by putting them through some realistic and believable dilemmas.

I knew UNWRAPPED is an erotic romance so a HEA is guaranteed, but still Cari Quinn had me biting my nails sometimes, wondering how that HEA was going to be reached as there were many emotional moments of doubt, of fear of how other people might judge their unconventional relationship. Between Cait's insistence on their weekend together not being anything more than just living out a fantasy, Tristan family stuff and silent stubbornness and Matt's worry about the practical sides of a permanent threesome, they had me in knots and relying on my trust in Cari Quinn to make it all work in the end. This trust wasn't unfounded. She definitely did...in an awesome way!

Cari Quinn and Loose ID seem to be the perfect match as this is the second book by Quinn I've read published by Loose ID that I must give my highest rating! UNWRAPPED is the first m/m/f I've read by Cari Quinn. I love ménages but I'm picky when it comes to m/m/f as I am not fond of m/m sexy times. There are a few authors who make me love their m/m/f ménages and Cari Quinn has joined those ranks with a bang: a perfect 10 rating as there was absolutely nothing I did not love about this book!

Favorite Quotes:
He’d been attracted to her for years, and the reasons weren’t all physical. She was so funny and sexy and sweet. Cait was a nice girl. A good girl.
One he’d yearned to taint for so long he’d almost resorted to taping his dick down whenever she was within speaking distance. Another secret withheld between them. (Matt)

The sound that escaped her mouth and slipped into his spoke of pleasure, not fear. When he extended his fingers into her hair, angling her head backward so he could lick his way inside, she wrapped her tongue around his to invite him in.
Thank God.
Intensity grew quickly, hijacking his plans to go slow. He slanted his mouth over hers and consumed her hungrily, their tongues fighting for dominance while her body revved against his. (Matt)

Matt sighed and scrubbed his hands over his face. She slid her gaze to his c#ck, slid it away. Slid it back again. She shook her head at the immediate liquefying between her legs. Clearly horny virgins had no shame. Or very little.

If tonight didn’t go the way he’d planned, he didn’t know how they’d survive it. All he knew was they couldn’t lose her. Tris was just as miserable as he was, sterling proof of what he’d always known deep down.
If there was no Cait, there could be no them. She was the glue that held them together. Without her, the pieces simply didn’t fit.

“Matt’s not interrupting me, but you are. Know why? Because he’s seen me in ways you haven’t. When the civility’s stripped away and there aren’t words left. The way you’re going to see me soon enough. If we let you watch.” He took immense satisfaction in the slackening of her jaw. “That’s dependent on how much talking you do between now and then. We have ways of keeping you quiet. If you think we won’t…well, you’re thinking wrong.” (Tristan)

“Well, I’d never thought of another guy till Matt. The thing people forget is you fall in love with whomever you’re meant to. It’s not always about their sex, but who they are.” (Tristan)

All he needed was them. Just them. Not trying to be sexy and rev his motor, not putting on a show worthy of a backroom sex shop. He needed to hold them and love them just as they’d given him their love in a million little ways he doubted they even realized. (Tristan)

Review: CHASIN' EIGHT by Lorelei James

2011-12-02T08:00:00.009+01:00

She wants it…he’s got it…and the chase is on…

Bull rider Chase McKay has finally landed in a pile too big to charm his way out of. Caught with his pants down, he finds himself bucked right off the PBR tour until he can get his act together.

Hollywood actress Ava Cooper became the tabloids’ favorite target when her longtime boyfriend was outed as gay. She needs a place to lay low and a chance to prove to herself that she can satisfy a red-blooded man between the sheets. The sexy, rugged cowboy she finds holed up in her Wyoming hideaway seems like the answer to her every fantasy.

But Chase has sworn off women. Forever. Or at least a month. Whichever comes first.

When they take to the road to get Chase more hands-on bull riding experience, they have every intention of keeping their hands off each other. But the two headstrong stars quickly end up riding a hot and heady rodeo circuit all their own—until the press gets wind of their affair. When the dust clears and the lights of the paparazzi fade, are they ready to give up chasing the dream for a chance of finding forever?

Warning: Strap in, another hot McKay is about to bust out of the gate and this bull rider knows a thing or two about riding hard…

Title: CHASIN’ EIGHT
Author: Lorelei James
Series: Rough Riders, book 11
Genre: Contemporary Western Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, June 28
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Samhain eBookstore

First line:
There was nothing like live porn.

Memorable Scenes:
- Chase and Ava's very first encounter > funny as hell
- the fried Twinkie scene > talk about sexual tension and teasing

CHASIN’ EIGHT is the 11th book in this series. 11th!! I still remember discovering the first in this series a few years ago and falling in love with the McKays, Lorelei James’ writing and contemporary western romance. And now I have read 11 books in this amazing series and I’m still hooked, still enjoying every installment I read and looking forward to every new addition to the series.

The main characters of this book are Ava Drummond aka famous actress Ava Cooper and famous bull rider Chase McKay. Ava is vivacious, funny and adapting. She’s looking for her place in life, a purpose. She’s also a little insecure despite her famous actress status. Chase is stubborn, gruff resilient and sweet. Despite his reputation as a womanizer he’s also a loner. Though he gives off this bold, rough bad boy vibe he’s also a easy-going and a little complacent.

I loved Ava and Chase together. Their banter added to the chemistry between them and they were both characters I loved because of their sharp wit. They are characters that at first sight you would never pair together but their pairing worked splendidly.

I had a bit of trouble getting into this book. First off I didn’t really like the opening page, it was too porn-y for my taste. Also, the first half, before Chase gave into the physical pull Ava had on him, kinda felt a bit uneventful and slow-going. However, despite the slow start I absolutely enjoyed this book. I still miss the magic of the earlier Rough Riders books but CHASIN' EIGHT definitely kept me entertained.

One of the things I loved about this book was seeing some characters from the earlier books come back to the forefront: Colby, Gemma, and Cash for instance. But also loved seeing Kane and Ginger. Though their book isn’t one of my favorites in this series, I really liked them and their role in CHASIN’ EIGHT. Another thing I liked was an in-depth look into the bull riding and rodeo-circuit. As a total ignorant about rodeos I took it all in and was fascinated by it all. This was also what brought the characters I mentioned above in play.

I always mention this in my reviews of books in this series but I really adore the family feel of this series and how Lorelei James shows us the expansion with every next book and gives the readers who follow this series an in-depth look into all the branches of this very large family with their problems, their happy moments, their loves and their losses. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Rough Riders series is a family saga, not merely a string of connected books.

Lorelei James' writing is satisfying as always. It’s the perfect combination of scorching heat, intense emotions, in-depth back-stories and a great collection of supporting characters. Lorelei James always manages to pull on my heartstrings with the emotions she infuses into her stories and to get me all hot and bothered with the heat that radiates from the love scenes. No matter if I adore, love or just like the book, her writing is an addiction I can’t quit!

And with the enticing blurb I’ve read of the next book, Ben McKay’s (Chase’s middle brother) story, I can’t wait until COWBOY CASANOVA comes out next week!

Favorite Quotes:
“Fine. I get it. Hands off. No hugs, no kisses, no holding hands, no hot looks, no copping a feel. No chance for a hard, fast, sweaty, screaming, raunchy f#ckfest against the wall, or on the floor, or in the shower, and definitely not on the bed.” (Ava to Chase)

Ava released a long, deep moan. A moan that sounded like a woman about to come undone by pure pleasure.
Chase shot her a sideways glance. Her beautiful face had a dreamy look best described as post-orgasmic. From sucking on a hot dog?
“That’s the best chili dog I’ve ever eaten.” Ava kept making throaty groans.
His brain overloaded. He imagined dragging her across the console and giving her another reason to moan.

Ava expected he’d keep the kiss slow and easy. So when Chase kissed the living shit out of her, she understood she didn’t know this Chase at all. The Chase who trapped her face in his big hands. The Chase who ably slipped his tongue past her teeth and fried her circuits with a kiss that stirred something inside her she’d never felt with any man.
Lust with an edge of danger. Lust that had no boundaries.

[Taz]“I seen how he’s been lookin’ at you.”
“And how’s that?”
“Like you’re a hot, sweet fried Twinkie and he’d like to lick you up one side and down the other before devouring you completely.”
“Except the man seems to be on a sugar-free diet,” she said wryly.
Taz chuckled. “Maybe. But I reckon he’s just trying to keep from gorging himself.”

Ava immersed herself in him. The scent of his skin. The tangy taste of his sweat. The way his muscles strained beneath her tongue. She kissed, licked and nibbled her way down the center of his throat, from his square jaw to his breastbone. And could she get a halleluiah that he had chest hair? Talk about manly, masculine goodness. She rubbed her face over the dark patch of hair, breathing him in, listening to the pounding of his heart, warmed by the heat from his skin, and knowing his body’s response to her was echoed in her body.

Ava had no control. Chase held her head, keeping her in place. “Ava. Look at me. See what you do to me.”
Her gaze connected with his. Such lust. Such hunger in his eyes. Such need. She felt it all flowing between them, felt her body responding to the call of his.

With pure male heat and hunger, he undressed her, then himself. This wasn’t a sensual exploration resulting in an achingly sweet union of bodies. No. This was raw mating. He demanded. Took. Teased. And ultimately gave all of himself with such unending passion, he left her knowing no other man would ever reach inside her like he did.

QuickScore-Review: THE FEARLESS MAVERICK by Robyn Grady

2011-11-30T23:00:00.000+01:00

Driven to succeed, Alex's only desire is to win, win, win—at all costs! A champion race-car driver, he lives like he drives—fast, reckless and always number one. But after a huge crash, with his racing career facing ruin, Alex must confront his biggest fear: failure.

Physio Libby Henderson is there to help him get back to fitness, and all Alex wants to do is get physical! Libby's dealt with more challenging things in life, but it's taking all of her professionalism to keep this stubborn playboy at bay!

Title: THE FEARLESS MAVERICK
Author: Robyn Grady
Series: The Notorious Wolfes, book 4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Books, Harlequin Presents
Year of release: 2011, September 27
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Bought via The BookDepository

First line:
The moment Alex Wolfe’s car went airborne, he knew the situation was bad.

Memorable Scenes:
- their weekend on the Gold Coast > highlight: dancing on the beach, loved that scene!

QuickScore-Verdict:
Alex Wolfe and Libby Anderson are the main couple of this fourth installment in the Notorious Wolfes series. They are a race car diver and the physiotherapist who has to nurse him back into his race car after a shoulder injury during second race of the season.

Alex is disarmingly charming beneath a veneer of steel determination. His rough past made him the man he is now. Libby is as tenacious as Alex is. She carries the consequences of her surfing accident with poise and grace but there are times insecurity creeps up on her. I loved the chemistry between Alex and Libby. It was completely in line with the rest of the series with Libby as the feisty young woman falling under the magical thrall of yet another enigmatic and seductive Wolfe sibling.

As a Formula 1 fan I was delighted with the setting. I loved reading the racing stuff and through Libby's character it was also shown that the author knew a lot and or did her research on physical therapy as well.

I also really liked Robyn Grady's writing style. It was fluent, fast-paced and engaging. Combined with the characters' chemistry, snappy dialogues and the themes that were much to my liking I utterly enjoyed this 4th installment in The Notorious Wolfes series.

Favorite Quotes:
This man’s power to captivate with a single look, the slightest touch, was palpable. She’d like to meet the woman who was immune to the magic of that smile. Charm was as instinctive to this man as taking a corner at death-defying speeds.

Giddy. He whipped up a hurricane inside of her, a dark powerful storm that tossed her off course and hurled her places that promised such blissful satisfaction.

ARC-Review: SOME LIKE IT HOT by Louisa Edwards

2011-11-29T08:00:00.003+01:00

Sexy, single, and even sweeter than the treats he bakes, New York pastry chef Danny Lunden is trying to stay focused on food—not females. With the Rising Star Chef competition approaching, he doesn’t have time to get all steamed up over the gorgeous woman he encounters on the plane to Chicago. Even if she is Eva Jansen—the billionaire heiress in charge of the contest…

Danny assumes that “Eva the Diva” is a spoiled rich girl who doesn’t share his passion for food. But when the two meet up again in an elevator—alone—they share more than just passion. They share a kiss hot enough to start a kitchen fire—and they’re hungry for more. To indulge their new secret craving, Eva and Danny have to break every rule in the cookbook. But—like chocolate and caramel—some ingredients are are so sinfully good together, one scrumptious bite is never enough...

Title: SOME LIKE IT HOT
Author: Louisa Edwards
Series: Rising Start Chef Trilogy, book 2 and Recipe For Love Series, book 5
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Culinary Romance
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year of release: 2011, November 29
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Received a digital ARC from publisher for review

First line:
So this is what it's like to leave home, Danny mused, narrowly avoiding a collision with a woman who seemed to have forgotten she was pulling a wheeled carry-on case behind her.

Memorable Scenes:
- Danny and Eva's kiss in the elevator > great first kiss scene
- any scene with Claire and Kane > I love those two!
- the love scene where Danny's hands are bandaged > holy hot tamales!
- Eva making her wrongdoings right > have to admit she turned her like-factor up right there in that scene

Eva Jansen is spoiled. There is no other word for it. She is used to getting what she wants, when she wants it and how she wants it. Yet, deep down she's not the diva she shows to everyone. Beneath all the brass, the seemingly selfish actions and the big ego attitude is a caring and sweet woman lurking in the shadow, waiting for the right man to lure her out.

That right man is pastry chef Danny Lunden. He’s a man who has this need to take care of others. It’s engrained in him. He’s calm, levelheaded and reassuring and has a talent for soothing others. So much that he forgets that he sometimes needs reassurance and soothing too. He loves order and control but underneath all that calm there’s a lot of repressed anger and other feelings waiting to come to the surface.

Unfortunately I didn't have the immediate click with Eva and Danny as I did with Jules and Max in the first book. However, they really grew on my along the way because they were definitely a match for each other! When Danny let go a bit of his need to take care of others and think of himself and his own needs first and Eva, though still having a diva attitude, showed her vulnerable and caring side, that’s when I fell for both of them and their romance.

Again the secondary cast was awesome! I loved Max and Jules as secondary characters. (I still have a soft spot for Max!) And the blend of familiar supporting characters and a few new intriguing ones, contributed to my enjoyment of SOME LIKE IT HOT. Of course I also loved that Louisa Edwards continued the secondary romance she started in TOO HOT TO TOUCH. Claire and Kane captured my heart and I truly enjoyed their story, at times even more than Danny and Eva's.

The culinary competition part of the book was also great. I liked it even more than I did the first book of this trilogy because the way the challenges in this book were set up, reminded me even more of my favorite cooking competition shows. For giving me this great mix of romance and culinary type TV-shows, I can only thank and love Louisa Edwards. I love how she combines food and romance. It's clear she has knowledge of food and cooking and a talent for writing romance and heat. I loved the food analogies (both in SOME LIKE IT HOT and in TOO HOT TO TOUCH).

There's also simplicity and subtle humor to her writing that make her books very accessible and easy to go through. The make-out and love scenes are exquisite. Louisa Edwards knows her foodie stuff but she also knows how to write love scenes that will make you forget you're sitting in a chilly room as the heat that radiates from them will warm you up just fine.

So even though it had a slow start and I had to warm up to the main couple I really enjoyed SOME LIKE IT HOT and I can’t wait for the next and final book in this trilogy. Louisa Edwards has become a permanent dish on my reading menu!

Favorite Quotes:
But when she’d seen Lunden standing in the doorway of the plane, long-fingered hands on lean hips like an avenging warrior, all the exhaustion and nervousness and self-doubt went up in a firestorm of excitement and lust. The way the chill of condemnation clashed with the unmistakable glitter of instantaneous hunger and sparkled his eyes to a bright sizzling blue called to the fighter in Eva. She wanted to stoke the fire of that hunger, feed it craftily and carefully until it flamed up and overwhelmed the disapproval.

She made a sound deep in her throat, rough and unashamed, and immediately pure unadulterated high-octane lust flooded his system. He’d been hard since he’s seen her splayed out against the back wall of the elevator, but when she growled like that, the rush of his blood through his body made his c#ck throb so thickly he was momentarily afraid he’d pass out.

"It suits you."
Dazed, wondering if he'd missed something crucial to the conversation while zoning out on the many uses tot which he’d be happy to put her tongue, Danny said, “What does?”
“Danny.”
How did she manage to make the name he’d been called since kindergarten sound like pure, filthy sex?

Kane dipped his spoon into the center, the yolk broke and ran out the white like a river down a mountain. He peeked under the egg to see the shredded beef. It didn’t look like much on its own, but when Kane lifted the spoon to his mouth, he had to work hard not to moan like a kid discovering what his dick was for.

Review: TOO HOT TO TOUCH by Louisa Edwards

2011-11-28T15:15:00.002+01:00

When it comes to competitive cooking, Max Lunden is no stranger to winning…though he’s never been great at working with a team. A master chef—and major hunk—he’s traveled the world, picking up new cooking techniques as well as beautiful women. But when the prodigal chef returns home to his family’s Greenwich Village restaurant, he discovers one too many cooks in the kitchen—and she’s every bit as passionate as he is…

Juliet Cavanaugh used to have a crush on Max when she was just a teenager, hanging out at Lunden & Sons Tavern, hoping to catch a glimpse of the owner’s oldest, and hottest, son. Now a chef herself—competing in the biggest culinary contest in the country—Juliet will be cooking side by side with the one man she’s always admired…and desired. But despite their simmering attraction, Juliet is determined to keep her cool—no matter how hot it gets…

Title: TOO HOT TO TOUCH
Author: Louisa Edwards
Series: Rising Start Chef Trilogy, book 1 and Recipe For Love Series, book 4
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Culinary Romance
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Year of release: 2011, August 2
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Bought via The BookDepository

First line:
Juliet Cavanaugh wrapped her arms around her ribs for warmth and stomped her feet as she walked.

Memorable Scenes:
- Jules and Max against the wall in the upstairs kitchen. First “frisky” scene after their kiss in the pantry > hot as chili peppers :)
- the trivia preliminary round > awesome foodie facts
- Kane Slater > loved the storyline with him and Claire

Juliet “Jules” Cavanaugh is ambitious, smart and practical. After a difficult youth she finds a warm and loving family at her best friend, Danny Lunden’s house. His parents take her in like a daughter and she grows up to be a talented chef. I admired Jules tenacity and her practical look on life.

Max Lunden, Danny’s older brother and Jules secret teenage crush, left that same loving, home to find adventure when his father refuses to let him take the family restaurant to the next step. Max is a wanderer and stubborn. He’s outspoken, impulsive and shameless. I loved his dry sense of humor and his oneliners (both in thought and spoken).

Even though the reader doesn’t get any interaction between Jules and Max when they are younger, I still saw this book as a bit of a reunited lovers thing and I loved how flirty Max was with Jules. His sense of humor and determination to win her affection went through her resistance like a warm knife through butter and I melted right alongside Jules.

The cast of secondary was awesome, impressive and they all immediately conquered their rightful place in the book and in my heart.
Win, Beck, Danny, Claire, Eva and Kane all contributed to my appreciation of this awesome book and its equally awesome author because even though the majority of the secondary cast was formed by more than just supporting characters, they never outshone Jules and Max. I must admit Claire and Kane and their secondary romance almost did but in the end I loved Max and Jules just that tad bit more.

This first book I’ve read by Louisa Edwards made me fall in love with her writing and also had me kicking myself for not reading her work sooner than this. But rest assured, her backlist will be devoured as soon as I’ve read SOME LIKE IT HOT (which is the reason I read TOO HOT TO TOUCH). Louisa Edwards’ writing is fast-paced, filled with heat and humor and I gobbled TOO HOT TO TOUCH up from the first page to the last and then licked my fingers clean.

Favorite Quotes:
Max’s ribcage expanded with joy like phyllo pastry puffed up with honey. For a moment, he was honestly afraid his chest would pop open and spill his heart onto the street.

“Jules, Jules. I seem to remember a Juliet hanging out with you, the two of you following me around, looking to get into trouble. Same girl? I bet it is. A chick on the team. Score. Come on, dish it up. Is she hot now? I bet she’s hot.”
Danny shook his head, amusement relaxing the tense line of his mouth. “Is that all you ever think about?”
“No! Sometimes I think about food. And beer. Scuba diving. Horse races. The color cyan. I’m a complex and multilayered flower, Danny.”

Max was honestly starting to worry that if someone didn’t sit on Winslow, the kid was going to jitter right out of his basketball sneakers.

Requested Review: INFATUATION by Melissa Schroeder

2011-11-23T23:45:00.010+01:00

To prove her love and save her man, she has to go above and beyond the call of duty.

Francis McKade is a man in lust. He’s had a crush on his best friend’s little sister for years but he has never acted on it. Besides that fact that she’s Malachi’s sister, he’s a Seal and he learned his lesson with his ex-fiancé. Women do not like being left alone for long months at a time. Still, at a wedding in Hawaii anything can happen—and does. Unfortunately, after the best night of his life, he and Mal are called away to one of their most dangerous missions.

Shannon is blown over by Kade. She’s always had a crush on him and after their night together, it starts to feel a little like love. But, after the mission, Kade never calls or writes and she starts to wonder if it was all a dream. Until one night, her brother Mal drags him into her bar and grill and Shannon gets the shock of her life.

Kade isn’t the man Shannon knew in Hawaii, or even the last few years. Twelve hours of torture changes a man, especially one who had never felt so vulnerable. He still can’t shake the terror that keeps him up at night. Worse, he is realizing that the career he loves just might be over.

Shannon is still mad, but she can’t help but hurt for the man she loves. He is darker, a bit more dangerous, but beneath that, he is the Kade she’s known for so many years. When he pushes her to her limits in the bedroom, Shannon refuses to back down. One way or another, this military man is going to learn there is no walking away from love—not while she still has breath in her body.

Warning: This book contains two infatuated lovers, a hardheaded military man, a determined woman, some old friends, and a little taste of New Orleans. As always, ice water is suggested while reading. It might be the first military Harmless book, but the only thing that has changed is how hot our hero looks in his uniform—not to mention out of it.

Title: INFATUATION
Author: Melissa Schroeder
Series: A Little Military Harmless Romance, book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Military Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Year of release: 2011, November 14
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-copy from author for review

First line:
The sound of Hawaiian music drifted lightly through the air as Kade took a small sip of his beer.

Memorable Scenes:
- the one (first) night in Hawaii > It was so hot it melted my brain cells
- the scene with the scarves > the action with that one scarf... OMG! *fans self*

INFATUATION is the first book of Melissa Schroeder’s I’ve read for review and the third one in total. I read her first two Harmless books way back when I didn’t even fathom reviewing the romance novels I was reading. So when this book was offered for review I grabbed it with both hands!

And I do not regret the grabbing! With a heroine (Shannon Dupree) who is strong, capable and positively a woman whom any man would want standing in his corner and a Navy Seal hero (Francis ‘Kade’ McKade) who is sexy, quiet and commanding Melissa Schroeder gave me an awesome read.

Melissa Schroeder knows how to crank up the heat in the love scenes. The start of the book set the tone and it didn't let down till the very last page and word. The added subtle hint of BDSM just made it all the more interesting. When sex scenes in a book give me goose-bumps I know I have a scorcher in hand.

And next to the burn-the-pages heat there was so much more to INFATUATION. Starting with the small, subtle military plot of a mission gone FUBAR and the consequences of that to the members of the team. But there was also great characterization and a cast of secondary characters that were intriguing to say the least.

Schroeder has a writing style that I took a liking to from the very first page. She combines heat and emotions with humor, great characters and fabulous dialogues, making this book fast-paced and character-driven. Reading INFATUATION makes me want to go back and start the Harmless series again from the start and review them all.

INFATUATION is an awesome contemporary, erotic and military romance that was such a joy to read, I finished it in 24 hrs while having to work. It was sizzling hot and emotional. The two things I always seek in the erotic romances I read.

Favorite Quotes:
Her sister’s eyes danced with barely suppressed amusement. “It couldn’t be because of one hot Seal with a hint of an Aussie accent, could it?"
Shannon closed her eyes and sighed. “That man gets my temperature up. All he has to do is smile, and I’m ready to strip naked and jump his bones.” She opened her eyes. “Is it that obvious?”

“Now, naughty girl, you can’t move.”
She opened her eyes and frowned at him. When she opened her mouth to respond, he placed one finger against her mouth.
“You’re the one who awoke the beast, so you get to live with the consequences.”
She wanted to tell him to go to hell, but there was something so...sexy about him commanding her, telling her what she could and could not do. Unlike her brother, Chris, she had never been into BDSM, but with Kade, the possibility was titillating. And dammit, arousal deepened his accent. That alone made her toes curl.

She was laughing at something Deke said, and dammit, he couldn’t help the way the air backed up in his lungs.
“Looks like they had a good time,” Mal said.
Indeed it did. Her face glowed with happiness as she looked up at Deke. He leaned closer and said something to her. She laughed, and although it wasn’t loud, he could hear it. It wrapped around his heart and gave a little tug.

Mal shook his head. “Do you know what you’re doing?”
“Yeah, dammit.” He started walking again. “I’m going to get my woman.”

ARC-Review: HEAD OVER HEELS by Jill Shalvis

2011-11-21T08:00:00.007+01:00

Free-spirited Chloe lives life on the edge. Unlike her soon-to-be married sisters, she isn't ready to settle into a quiet life running their family's newly renovated inn. But soon her love of trouble—and trouble with love-draws the attention of the very stern, very sexy sheriff who'd like nothing better than to tame her wild ways.

Suddenly Chloe can't take a misstep without the sheriff hot on her heels. His rugged swagger and his enigmatic smile are enough to make a girl beg to be handcuffed. For the first time, instead of avoiding the law, Chloe dreams of surrender. Can this rebel find a way to keep the peace with the straitlaced sheriff? Or will Chloe's colorful past keep her from a love that lasts . . . and the safe haven she truly wants in a town called Lucky Harbor?

Title: HEAD OVER HEELS
Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Lucky Harbor, book 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Year of release: 2011, November 22
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Received a digital ARC from author for review

First line:
It wasn’t often that Chloe Traeger beat her sisters into the kitchen in the morning, but with Tara and Maddie currently sleeping with the town’s two hottest hotties, it’d been only a matter of time.

Memorable Scenes:
- Maddie's shirt-inside-out moment > funny as heck
- outdoor shower scene > playful fun lead to sizzling heat lead to anticlimax LOL
- painting Sawyer's dining room scene > touching and sweet and the paint handprints part was both funny and hot
- the scene involving Chloe showing Sawyer how she can climax without going into an asthma-attack > loved Sawyer's dirty story and what followed after that

Ever since finishing book 2 in this series I've been eagerly anticipating Chloe and Sawyer's book and my anticipation was rewarded.

Chloe Traeger is the youngest of the three half sisters who play the main roles in the three first Lucky Harbor books. She’s an esthetician who travels all over the place as it’s ingrained in her nature to wander. She’s a wild child, impulsive, stubborn, witty and resilient. Every chapter of this book started with a Chloeism and I loved them. Here are a few of my favorites:

“If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.”
“If things don’t seem right, try going left.”

“It’s always darkest before the dawn. So if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper, that’s the time to do it.”

“A closed mouth gathers no foot, though that’s hard to remember in the moment.”

“Just when you think you’ve hit rock bottom, someone’ll throw you a shovel.”

“I’ve always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific.”

“They say money talks, but all mine ever says is ‘good-bye, sucker’.”

“Sure, good things come to those who wait – but they’re the leftovers from those who got there first.”

“Women might not like to admit their age, but men don’t like to act theirs.”

Sawyer Thompson, the local sheriff is determined to make up for his not so squeaky clean past as he wasn’t always the upstanding citizen he now is. He’s guarded, calm, patient, unflappable an intense. I loved Sawyer. To be honest I loved all the heroes in these three books as they are awesome partners to the three awesome ladies who snag them up.

You know, it's the quiet ones...really it is! Who'd have thought upstanding sheriff Sawyer could give wild child Chloe a run for her money in the bedroom. I loved the beginning where the romance was building up but the chemistry was definitely there and promising. Sawyer's dirty thoughts were both funny and hot. The love scenes totally matched the romance they accompanied. They complemented both story and characters.

What I adore about the Lucky Harbor books, next to the great writing and superb romance, are the characters and the bonds between them. These bonds are the perfect basis for awesome and fun dialogues. I especially loved the interactions between the sisters and between Jax, Ford and Sawyer.

I really loved that HEAD OVER HEELS was a realistic, character-driven small town contemporary romance that focuses on interpersonal relationships and everyday life. No mysteries or weird plot twists although there is a subtle yet crucial suspense-ish plot that I thought was brilliantly woven into the rest of the story.

Jill Shalvis writes awesome small town contemporary romances. The combination of her fluent, easy writing style, her humorous voice, characters, setting and romance is excellent. She’s a master at witty dialogue.

I like that the books in this series are not just about the main couple starring in that book. They are still the focal point but it's not just about them. The story of each sister/friend is told through their connections with the others and really enjoyed seeing the couples and other characters from the first two books make their appearances and form a strong supportive background for Sawyer and Chloe.

I must rate this 3rd book of the Lucky Harbor series an awesome read! It ticked almost all the boxes for me: it was fun, it was romantic, it was emotional and I loved the characters so much! A fabulous combination of plot, romance, characterization, humor and emotional impact!

Favorite Quotes:
He ran a long, callused finger down her calf alongside one particularly nasty gash, and she shivered. Not from pain. Maybe it was her exhaustion, or hell, maybe it was just from having him stand so close, but the stoic, tough-guy thing was sort of doing it for her this morning. He was a little on edge and sweaty, and a whole lot hot and sexy, and utterly without her permission, her brain rolled out a “Stern Cop And The Bad Girl” fantasy …

There was a wildness to her tonight, hell every night, and an inner darkness that he was drawn to in spite of himself.
It called to his true inner nature, the matching wildness and darkness within him, which he’d tried to bury a long time ago.

“You’re tense,” Chloe said. Standing up, she moved behind him, putting her hands on his shoulders. She dug her fingers into his tight muscles, working them with a surprising strength, until he melted into a puddle at her feet.
“Better?” she murmured against his ear, making him nearly groan when she pressed her breasts against him.
Was she kidding? The only way for this to be better would be for them to be alone and naked.

In answer, he brought his head up and kissed her. Deep, hungry, tasting her in a purposely slow, thorough manner before pulling back to once again look into her eyes.
Oh, God. “Sawyer, what are we doing?” she whispered.
He shook his head. “No fucking clue.”
She let out a low laugh. “Maybe then, we should do it some more.”
He obliged, pulling her in for another kiss, which grew rougher and more demanding, until she was vibrating with need, making little whimpers in her throat for more.

He’d have gone in search of Chloe but Tara’s hand on his arm stopped him.
“She thinks she’s a real tough cookie,” she said.
“She is.”
“Not when it comes to you.”
He met her gaze. “What does that mean?”
“You’re going to have to figure that out yourself. I like you, Sawyer. I like you a lot, but hurt her and I’ll hurt you.”
“Smile. It’s the second best thing you can do with your lips.”

Life’s short, Sawyer. Sometimes you have to take what you can get and make it okay.”

Slow.
Easy.
Driving her right out of her mind. “Please. Sawyer, please.”
But her entreaty fell on deaf ears. He did his own thing at his own pace, gently massaging and teasing and coaxing her right into a blissful explosion that shocked and rocked her to the very core.
While she trembled and shuddered back to Planet Earth, he gave her one last soft kiss and moved back up her body to study her face closely. “Okay?” he asked.
“If I was any more okay, you’d have to peel me off the ceiling.”

She cupped his face, slid her fingers into his hair, and beamed up at him. God, he loved her smile. She felt so good. Her eyes were a staggering, fathomless green, and looking at her made him ache, and he ran out of air.
Completely. Ran. Out. He struggled to breathe and thought this must be how she felt. But then she pressed her mouth to his and gave him her air.

Announcement: Winners Vivian Arend Giveaway

2011-11-20T23:55:00.000+01:00

Random.Org decided as follows:

Congratulations Erin and June M.!

The winners have been emailed. Thank you, everyone who entered!

ARC-Review: SUCK AND BLOW by Lexxie Couper

2011-11-18T08:00:00.003+01:00

Let the games begin…

Talent agent Frankie Winchester is a hellion. Her motto is all a girl needs is a fun time, a fast car and an awesome masseur on speed dial. There’s only one person who could beat her at anything. Alec. Bane of her high-school existence, a kid whose parents were as working class and loving as hers were rich and distant.

When celebrity landscape architect Alec Harris spots Frankie at an exclusive Sydney house party, everything comes rushing back. The memory of being the “cheap-money” kid, trying and failing to prove himself—and impress his dream girl, Frankie Winchester.

Unexpectedly partnered in a wildly sexy game, the delicious friction ignites a scorching sexual tension. But there’s more than a playing card trapped between them. Frankie refuses to admit that kiss shook her to the core. Alec wants nothing less than her full surrender.

Warning: C’mon, the book’s called Suck and Blow. What more warning do you need?

Title: SUCK AND BLOW
Author: Lexxie Couper
Series: Party Games, book 1
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, November 22
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC from author for review

First line:
Francesca-Maree—Frankie—Winchester, had to admit the party was a success.

Memorable Scenes:
- the scene in the powder room during the party > dirty sexy!
- Alec telling Frankie his back-story > the emotional sauce I was waiting for

Francesca-Maree 'Frankie' Winchester aka The Gun is an agent to Australian celebrities. I loved Frankie! Beneath her tough girl attitude there's a woman who's not as self-assured as she appears. Her upbringing by famous parents put her on a sure course to shallowness and entitlement but she turned out pretty okay. Not in the least because of the hero of this story.

Aleczander 'Alec' Harris aka Alley Cat is big and upcoming in the landscaping business. He’s confident, competitive and fought his way up from wrong side of the tracks. Alec is a down-to-earth and what-you-see-is-what-you-get kinda guy. His constant challenging Frankie when they were in high school made her into the woman she is now.

SUCK AND BLOW is my second encounter with Lexxie Couper's work and it was as much, if not more, a pleasure as the first. Her writing is pure, raw and unapologetic and her characters are a joy to read and get to know.

I loved the setup of the romance and the verbal sparring between Alec and Frankie. And boy, the sex scenes were off the charts hot. Frankie and Alec are perfectly matched and challenge each other constantly, bringing out the best in one another.

The collection of secondary characters is very, very interesting and they made me wish for this series to go on for a long while after this first installment as there are quite some fascinating pairings to make. (Fortunately for me a little birdie told me there are going to be at least 2 more books after the 2nd one, by the fabulous Rhian Cahill, in this series. This made me a very, very happy reader.)

SUCK AND BLOW is another winner for Lexxie Couper. It's sexy, scorching and fast-paced. It gave me a few very pleasurable reading hours as I couldn't stop reading. I loved the characters, I loved the romance, I almost drooled at the sexiness of Alec and I'm yearning for the next Party Games book like an addict for her next fix.

Favorite Quotes:
As if he felt her stare, Alec swung his head in her direction, his brilliant blue eyes—still the colour of a cloudless summer day—finding her with ease.
Her heart just didn’t thump harder in her throat, it damn near tried to slam its way out of her body through her mouth.

She sucked in her breath, the sudden gasp fixing the playing card to her lips. His fingers scalded her through the supple leather of her pants, his grip loose and relaxed and far from suggestive. So why was her heart thumping so hard? Why was her p#ssy fluttering like a psychotic horde of ADHD butterflies?

He kissed her, not even remotely interested in reigning in his hunger. […] He reckoned if he were lucky, he’d get one good thrust into Frankie’s heat before he’d erupt. The best thing he could do now was show her just how bloody much he wanted her, show her just how goddamn wild she made him before he embarrassed himself beyond all salvation.

She opened her eyes and turned to him, doing her damnedest to not notice that he was dressed again and so goddamn sexy to look at it was like visual Viagra, or whatever the hell the chick’s version of Viagra was.
Oh, Francesca, you are in so much trouble.

She did as he told her, laying her arms flat on the bed above her head, her hands loosely open, palms to the ceiling.
She did as he told her, laying her arms flat on the bed above her head, her hands loosely open, palms to the ceiling.
“Very good. Now, this is the way it’s going to go, Ms Winchester. I am going to explore every inch of this sexy, f#ckable body of yours from head to toe. I’m going to put my tongue wherever I want to. I’m going to bite whatever I want to. I’m going to suck whatever I want to, and you’re not going to move.”
[...] “And if I do move?”
A wicked gleam filled Alec’s eyes, the sides of his mouth curling into a slow smile. Devilish, that was the only word Frankie could think of to describe it. Devilish.
No, there was another. Untamed.
“If you move, I will flip you onto your stomach, lift your butt into the air and smack its tight, firm perfection until you beg me to f#ck you.”

QuickScore-Review: HOT TEXT by Cari Quinn

2011-11-16T08:00:00.013+01:00

Sometimes what you think you want and what you need are two very different things.

As a technical editor, Jeffrey Maddox deals with plenty of words, leaving him few to spare on people, except his baby sister. To keep Daisy from wrecking her newly rehabbed life by shacking up with her older, married lover Lonny, he impulsively texts Lonny’s wife, Karyn. And then meets her at a coffee shop on a snowy night, ostensibly to convince her to stay with her philandering husband.

But soon texting turns to sexting. After spending the night getting to know Karyn, Jeff wants something much more personal—Lonny’s wife. For himself.

Despite her misgivings about Jeff’s intentions, Karyn can’t fight their attraction. She’s still not divorced, though she knows there’s no way she’ll return to her husband. But maybe an amazing night of conversation—and even more amazing lovemaking—can lead to more than just one night of hot text

Title: HOT TEXT
Author: Cari Quinn
Series: stand alone (to my knowledge)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Year of release: 2011, November 2
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Jasmine Jade eBook Store

First line:
Jeff Maddox stared at the cell phone vibrating on his sister’s coffee table.

Memorable Scenes:
- Jeff and Karyn's booty call > hot with some unexpected character revelations
- the body painting scene > loved it

QuickScore-Verdict:
Jeff Maddox, the hero is this story, was a very interesting character. He is a technical editor with 2 ex-wives who is very protective of his baby sister and when I read all this I thought: whatever direction is Cari Quinn going to take with him… Suffice to say Cari immediately took him down the right path and I truly liked Jeff, even if he is a little rude grouchy and ornery.

Karyn James is a preschool teacher. She’s a quirky homebody who talks to herself a lot and paints to express her creativity. She is open and direct despite not being overly assertive.

Cari Quinn could write the technical manuals Jeff edits and I'd still gobble it up. In HOT TEXT it wasn't just the hot sex scenes. It was the instant connection I felt with the characters, their imperfections and their personalities. I loved this story about two average, normal people. It was very character-driven, fresh and original with a unique premise. The characters were awesome and despite of them having total different personality traits they matched perfectly.

I loved reading Jeff and Karyn's story and could've read more if there had been more. Yet despite the shortness of the story it felt well rounded and complete. Though the characters may be average, normal people...the sex scenes are as fabulously hot as I've gotten used to from Cari Quinn. I expected scorching heat, Cari went above and beyond and definitely delivered!

Favorite Quotes:
She’d clearly gone too long without male companionship if any brute who walked her way made her sit up and take notice. Even one with pretty eyes and scowling lips.

She laughed and the sound loosened something inside his gut, unwinding snakes of need that wrapped around his c#ck in a viselike grip.

She expected an easy kiss. Good, perhaps, but not intense. He seemed like a low-key, moderately passionate person. As she’d been, without the right stimulation.
Without this .
What she got was a glancing blow of lips that soon turned to a furious meshing of mouths and teeth. It wasn’t elegant. It was messy and rough and God help her, bordered on dirty.

There was something so alluring about a woman’s— this woman’s—creamy back, especially offset by her wavy dark hair. She was sensual in the extreme and so beautifully fragile. But not weak. She had an inner strength he doubted she even gave herself credit for. She might bend, but break? Not Karyn.

She kissed him so deeply his mind shuddered to a halt. Wasn’t he supposed to take control? He couldn’t. How could he control this? She’d become a one-woman wrecking ball against his determination to shut her out. He didn’t want complications but here she was, her lips on fire, melting his last resolve.
Stripping him bare before she left him alone.

“Bring it,” she challenged.
He brought it. Hard, fast, with all of his frustration and every wet dream from the last year wrapped up in the hope and desire she’d evoked tonight.

ARC-Review: ROCKY MOUNTAIN HEAT by Vivian Arend

2011-11-14T08:00:00.002+01:00

He’s the one who taught her to ride. Now all he wants is to ride her.

Blake Coleman is old enough to know that acting on impulse causes nothing but a heap of trouble. But when trouble’s a western-hat-wearing blonde with slim legs that go on forever, what’s a man to do? Wanting the sweet girl next door is just wrong. The responsible thing to do is keep his hands off.

Jaxi has other plans for Blake’s hands, and his heart. She may have once considered him a big brother, but that was a long time ago. She’s all grown up now and ready to convince him that she’s perfect for him. Except he can’t seem to see past the big “don’t touch” sign that’s apparently still hanging around her neck.

When Jaxi ends up living right under Blake's nose, the undeniable heat between them slides off simmer and leaps up to barn-burning levels. However, a few of the younger six-pack Colemans have decided Jaxi’s brand of trouble is worth risking a few busted bones.
That is, if Blake’s finally ready to let go the reins and fight for what he wants…

Warning: Sexy cowboys seducing and being seduced in trucks, pool halls and barns. Droolworthy country charm, a little double-teaming, a few secrets and a whole lot of brothers to look forward to. Anyone wanna go for a ride?

Title: ROCKY MOUNTAIN HEAT
Author: Vivian Arend
Series: Six Pack Ranch, book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance,
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, November 15
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC from author for review

First line:
“Are you sure you can’t last a bit longer?”

Memorable Scenes:
- Blake playing Peeping Tom while Jaxi is in the shower > awesome clash of conflicting feelings warring within Blake
- the pool game > the triple play challenge took the scene beyond fun and into sizzling hot
- the hot scene in the Coleman kitchen > No when I see or hear the mention canned peaches I will not only think of Inez Kelley's TURN IT UP but of Vivian Arend too!
- Jaxi's exotic dance for Blake > HOT!

The hero and heroine of ROCKY MOUNTAIN HEAT have known each other for quite some time. Ever since Jaxi was a little girl and only child she’d come and hang with the rambunctious Colemans on their ranch and from the moment she knew what it meant to desire, she desired Blake Coleman, the oldest son of the bunch.

Jaxi has been in love with Blake forever and when she is asked to stay on the ranch for a while, taking care of his mom after a fall from an apple tree, she seizes the opportunity to show Blake exactly how much she wants him and hopes she can convince him to want her back.
Little does she know that Blake hardly needs any convincing as Jaxi has been his forbidden fantasy for quite some time and it's getting more and more difficult to keep seeing her as a little sister. He tries to hold on to their age-difference, seeing it as a reason for them not to be together but the feelings and attraction are too strong to deny.

Jaxi is giving, selfless and outspoken. She’s also a goal-getter. She sets her mind on something she wants, she’s bound to get it. In this case she has set her mind on Blake and will not rest until he’s where she wants him.

Blake is the oldest son. The one who thinks he needs to set a responsible example for his younger brothers. He’s honorable, stubborn (oh my God is that man stubborn!) and commanding. He resists Jaxi for a long time but when he eventually gives in to the feelings he can no longer deny, he gives his all

Vivian Arend definitely turned up the heat in this one...it took a little while for the chemistry between Blake and Jaxi to combust but when it did it was full steam ahead all the way to the last page. Scorching, sizzling, steamy heat made for some awesome love scenes. I also loved the romance even though there were moments where I would think they should just come out and express their feelings towards each other since it was so plain to everyone else.

I fell in love with the Colemans the first time I read about them and fell even harder this second time! I'm still fascinated by the twins, I still swoon for Blake, down-to-earth Daniel and considerate Matt and I still think Travis can be a major, major jerk whom I just want to smack upside the head sometimes.

An extra treat was a secondary romance involving Matt. Though I definitely don’t want them to end up together because the woman is annoying and selfish as heck, their story was intriguing and I loved getting to know Matt a bit more and see an interesting side of him. Still I don’t think Helen is worthy of sweet, caring Matt. There has to be a better woman out there for him.
One thing about this secondary romance storyline was that I didn’t like that this storyline (even if it covered one of my favorite tropes) almost overtook Blake and Jaxi's story. Although I'm sure Vivian Arend incorporated so much of their story in ROCKY MOUNTAIN HEAT for a good reason. So I trust it will all be revealed in Matt’s book.

I don't know what to say about Vivian's writing anymore without gushing about it. I like it so much and it fits me because though she broaches serious subjects she still manages to keep it light, fast-paced, humorous and emotional yet free of melodrama. Vivian Arend is my go-to author for feel-good romance, the kind of books you pick up knowing when you’ve finished it you have a smile on your face and a happy sigh leaving your mouth.

Favorite Quotes:
A bright red mark on his neck caught his eye, and he groaned in frustration. Like he was going to be able to explain that one easily. He shook his head and aimed the truck for home. In his lap, Jaxi’s feverish cheek burned a hole into his thigh while his unanswerable lust burned a hole in his conscience.

“She’s too young for me. Be my guest and go for it, I don’t think of her that way.” Sweet mercy, what a bunch of bull . He thought of little but Jaxi. It was no use though. She was too young. She still looked up to him as a big brother, and he wasn’t going to step over that boundary like some hormone-crazed animal.

Blake bit back the urge to lay his mouth on hers and lick over the wetness, tasting her skin and her sweet flavor. He needed to retreat, needed to stand and flee from temptation and the heavenly smell of her warm breath on his skin before he did something they would both regret. But heaven help him if he could budge.

Blake watched, motionless and noiseless for so long he felt like a statue, every bit of his body gone as hard and rigid as his aching shaft. Indecision held him, immobilized him. The rush of blood through his veins drowned out the part of his common sense saying he needed to leave. The pounding faded everything logical and rational away in him and stripped him bare to need and desire.

Damn, he wanted her so bad he had to restrain himself from tossing her over his shoulder like a caveman and hightailing out to his truck for a little action in the back. Or forget even making it to the truck, he’d slip them into the back room and fuck her against the wall, hard and fast, until they both made more of those noises of pleasure she was so good at producing.

“Damn it, stop with the questions and give me what I need.” Jaxi arched hard, thrusting her hips against his hand. She was on fire, and he was keeping her at such a steady burn she was liable to pass out from need.

He grinned at her with his new cocky smile that made her heart melt and her panties wet all at the same time.

Guestpost & Giveaway by Vivian Arend: The Elusive Perfect Man

2011-11-11T08:00:00.002+01:00

Today I'm happy to welcome Vivian Arend once again to the Blog. She is one of the few authors whom I follow in all the romance subgenres she writes...whether it's her paranormal, erotic, contemporary or cowboy romances...Her writing in all the subgenres is consistently good and I most definitely click with the light, humorous tone she pours over her work.

Today she's treating us to a post about the "perfect man" and introducing us to ROCKY MOUNTAIN HEAT , which I've had the pleasure of reading not once but twice as I read the original release too. My review is coming up Monday and I think I loved it even more the second time around.

So without further ado I want to give the floor to Vivian:

Oh, the elusive perfect man. Where will we find him?

The interesting thing is he’s everywhere, but no hero is perfect for just any heroine. It’s the exact right combination of personalities, strength, weaknesses, that combined make or break a relationship in a book.

One of the comments I got the first time someone read Rocky Mountain Heat was ‘Jaxi kissed all the brothers? ICK!’ (Jaxi being the heroine, the brothers being 6 of them.) The reality is in small towns, the dating pool is often very shallow, so yes, she’d kissed or been kissed by all of them by the time the story opens.

All, that is, except the one she really wants. And who’s that perfect match for her.

Blake is in for a fine ride to get to his happily ever after, but between the two of them, it happens. With more an a few kisses along the way. Which is how it should be, right? The perfect hero finds his perfect partner.

___

He’s the one who taught her to ride. Now all he wants is to ride her.

Blake Coleman is old enough to know that acting on impulse causes nothing but a heap of trouble. But when trouble’s a western-hat-wearing blonde with slim legs that go on forever, what’s a man to do? Wanting the sweet girl next door is just wrong. The responsible thing to do is keep his hands off.
Jaxi has other plans for Blake’s hands, and his heart. She may have once considered him a big brother, but that was a long time ago. She’s all grown up now and ready to convince him that she’s perfect for him. Except he can’t seem to see past the big “don’t touch” sign that’s apparently still hanging around her neck.

When Jaxi ends up living right under Blake’s nose, the undeniable heat between them slides off simmer and leaps up to barn-burning levels. However, a few of the younger six-pack Colemans have decided Jaxi’s brand of trouble is worth risking a few busted bones.
That is, if Blake’s finally ready to let go the reins and fight for what he wants…

Warning: Sexy cowboys seducing and being seduced in trucks, pool halls and barns. Droolworthy country charm, a little double-teaming, a few secrets and a whole lot of brothers to look forward to. Anyone wanna go for a ride?

~~~
First Chapter: Excerpt

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The Six Pack Ranch series was originally published with a small epub. Rocky Mountain Heat in August, 2009, and Rocky Mountain Haven in March, 2010. The reception to the books was very positive, including Haven winning the 2010 EPPIE award for Erotic Western Romance. The publisher then dropped their print program, and because Vivian wanted this series to go to print, she approached her current publisher, Samhain Publishing, and they offered to contract the series. (Pearl: Much to my pleasure! Because this series needs to be in continued and in print!)

Both book 1 and 2 have been extensively revised, with over 20K more material added to each. A brand new book, Rocky Mountain Desire, was written so that the two rereleases can be followed immediately by a new book in the series.

Release information for the upcoming Six Pack Ranch books
Book 1: Rocky Mountain Heat: November 15.
Book 2: Rocky Mountain Haven: January 10, 2012
Book 3: Rocky Mountain Desire: March 13, 2012

GIVEAWAY!
Vivian has offered two ebooks from her backlist to giveaway with this post. The rules are simple. To enter just leave an answer to the question below and a way to contact you (if it's not included in your profile) in the comments and I'll pick two winners in the course of next week.

Question: Who is your perfect cowboy? Or if you don't have a perfect cowboy, your perfect hero? ...and he doesn't have to be fictional...

QuickScore-Review: LUCILLE'S LAWMAN by Beth Williamson

2011-11-07T08:00:00.002+01:00

More than the law will be tested when a marshal meets a feisty widow.

Sean Reilly had the bad luck to be assigned the blue marble – the "cursed" marble shunned by the four other marshals in the Arizona Territory. He's sent to take care of a land dispute for a widow named Lucille Quinn. He has no idea just how his life will change because of the dang blue marble.

Lucille Quinn needs help to settle the matter of some missing cattle. The marshal that arrives is unexpected as he is good-looking. Who is she to deny the urge to pleasure herself and him? What she doesn't expect is to find there's more to the man than good looks and broad shoulders.

The meeting is by pure chance, the result is pure magic.

Title: LUCILLE’S LAWMAN
Author: Beth Williamson
Series: standalone
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Year of release: 2011, June 27
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-copy from author for review

First line:
"That blue marble is cursed."

Memorable Scenes:
- Lucille shooting at Sean > awesome!
- scene at the waterfall > oh my hotness!

QuickScore-Verdict:
A confident, capable U.S. marshal and a feisty, bossy, blunt widow who have a past together make for some main great characters in this ultra-short 25-page story. The humor in this story was perfect! There were many moments where there was a grin on my face. It's too short for depth or romance but who cares, when it was so hot it set the pages on fire!

LUCILLE'S LAWMAN is one hot little number. Though I'm not a big fan of historical westerns I must say this tasty little morsel has definitely whetted my appetite for more.

Favorite Quotes:
Sean’s annoyance notched up quickly. “Hell no. What you think I can’t perform my duties if it’s hot?”
“No, he’s trying to save you from the Black Widow.” Forrest made some kind of odd gesture with his hands.
“I don’t think I need saving. And just what the hell are you doing?” Reilly stared at the man. This was a US Marshal?
“Warding off evil. She’s a witch, you know. She’s the one who put the curse on that marble. She been nagging us for months about some missing cows.” Forrest picked up his hat from the scarred wooden table top. “I’m leaving before the curse gets itchy for someone else.”

“Slowly reach down and pull out your badge, and only your badge.” She took pleasure in watching that tanned, long-fingered hand slide down into his trousers. The movement made her nipples pop, which was a bit embarrassing. He didn’t need to know her traitorous body reacted so strongly.
As he moved slower than Mabel, she almost told him to hurry up. He was being careful, and rightfully so because she would shoot him if need be, but hell, he didn’t have to be that careful. By the time he took the badge out and tossed it in her direction, she couldn’t keep quiet any longer.
“I think a spider spun a web near your boot while you were taking your sweet time.”

“I ain’t gonna stand here with the door open all night. The bugs will think it’s an invite for a feast.” She raised her brows. “You joining me in here or not?”
A small grin played at the corners of his mouth. “Are you inviting me in, Lucy?”
She pursed her lips. “I’m telling you it’s gonna be witch tit cold out there tonight with nothing but coyotes and snakes for company. In here you got a warm woman, a place to lay your head and a night of pleasuring.”

ARC-Review: THE DESIRES OF A COUNTESS by Jenna Petersen

2011-11-04T08:00:00.004+01:00

After Ginny Blanchard's abusive husband died, she looked forward to a more independent life where she could raise her young son as she pleased. But when Simon Webber is assigned as trustee to her estate and her son's fortune, she feels she must come up with a plan to force him from her life. But she doesn't count on sensual Simon's insistence that he not only take a role in her son's life but in her own.

But Ginny has dark and terrible secrets that she must hide. Even from the man she loves. And even if it puts her own life in terrible danger.

Title: THE DESIRES OF A COUNTESS
Author: Jenna Petersen
Series: The Jordans, book 3
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Year of release: 2011, October 25
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC from author for review

First line:
"If he comes here, I'll run him out myself!"

Memorable Scenes:
- Simon and Jack on the stables with the horses > very endearing
- Simon giving Ginny lilacs after their first night together in London > oh so very romantic *sigh* and *melt*
- The reunion scene with Ginny, her sister and her mother > moved me to tears

Virginia 'Ginny' Blanchard is Lady Westdale, widow of Henry Blanchard, a drunkard and unfaithful abuser. The only good thing that came from her marriage is her son Jack. Ginny is outspoken, defiant and spirited even though her late husband tried to break her. She is sharp-minded, and guarded but can also be icy and prickly.

Simon Webber is Henry's cousin and trustee of Jack's inheritance. He is commanding and occasionally rigid but he can also be patient and he’s big on honor and responsibility.

The chemistry between Ginny and Simon is there instantly yet starts off hesitantly from both sides. Though Ginny tries to conceal her attraction by being hostile and untrusting, she's drawn to his quiet and kind manner. Simon at first doesn't know what to think of Ginny and doesn't understand where her hostility is coming from yet he is drawn to her fiery personality. The romance is built up slowly but in a great way. I was anticipating the moment they would give in to the attraction. Once they did, the sparks came off the pages.

I was wondering when I would get to see more of the Jordans as I had grown fond of the entire family over the first two books and at that moment the plot took me and Ginny to London and to her estranged family. I liked this development in the story and loved seeing the former couples again. Also, just as I was wondering where Jenna Petersen’s trademark heinous family members would enter the secondary cast, she presented me with Cordelia, Simon’s aunt from hell and Ginny’s horrible mother-in-law.

The book focuses mainly on the romance between Ginny and Simon but there a tiny plot of exactly what happened when Ginny's late husband died. Subtle hints led me to a certain strain of thought and I was curious to see if I was right. Well I was close but no cigar… As subtle as the suspense was woven throughout the majority of the book, the culmination and wrap-up was surprising and riddled with twists that had me reading with bated breath. Well done, Ms. Petersen!

I think historical romance readers who prefer their romances without a spy or suspense plot will definitely like this third installment in the trilogy the best. It was wonderfully written and I loved the focus on the romance even if I did miss the thrill of a more elaborate suspense or spy plot, which are there in both previous two books, a bit.

THE DESIRES OF A COUNTESS is an emotion- and character-driven historical romance with a hint of suspense that was wrapped up in an exciting and satisfying way. I loved the recurring themes of family and duty and love pitted against each other as much as I love Jenna Petersen’s writing style, which is easy and fluent, filled with great dialogue, intriguing characterization and light on extensive descriptions. In short, an author with a style that is very much to my liking and I look forward to more of her work in the future.

Favorite Quotes:
Where was this venom coming from? And how could it exist in the guise of such loveliness? He‘d come to Westdale with an open mind, ready to do his duty and assist in any way he could. He‘d expected a brokenhearted widow to greet him. Instead he found this… this…
Fireball

He rubbed his thumb along her palm and little tingles shot through her body. Like waves they grew from the source until her whole body sang with pleasure.

Cordelia sputtered as she always did when her poison was met with civility. It was a tactic Ginny had to bite her tongue to use, but it served her well. Later she would be free to ponder all the nasty things she wanted to say to the witch.

She caught her breath at the tingles created by his mouth. ―Y-yes.‖
How was she able to talk when she could barely breathe? And what was he doing that was making her vision blur like that?

ARC-Review: SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS by Jess Dee

2011-11-03T08:00:00.008+01:00

Every girl’s fantasy…one woman’s dream

Sophie Butler is sure she’s about to lose her much-needed cleaning job. She’s not only walked in on a guest—a violation of her employer’s cardinal rule—but she can’t seem to tear her gaze away from his gorgeous, naked-as-the-day-he-was-born body.

If all that isn’t bad enough, her usually sensible judgment and behavior are clouded by a nagging sense of familiarity. She knows the man from somewhere, she just can’t quite place him.

Nathan Pace is certain he’s just lost his jealously guarded anonymity. But hold on…if she’s just another fan looking for a piece of his alter ego, rock star Jamie Speed, why is she blushing six shades of scarlet? And why is he instantly aroused? When he catches a glimpse of her eyes, he knows. She’s the woman who for ten years has haunted his dreams.

The attraction that flares between them is undeniable—and unstoppable. But getting close means risking Nathan’s secret identity. Just this once, he’d like a woman to fall for the real man, not the press’s version of a celebrity superstar.

Warning: This may be an erotic contemporary romance, but it does contain a hint of fantasy. And when that fantasy involves erotic dreams about a gorgeous rock star, you know you’re gonna want the fantasy to become reality…

Title: SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS
Author: Jess Dee
Series: Speed, book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, November 1
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC from the author for review

First line:
Shocked all the way down to her toes, Sophie Butler gawked at the man.

Memorable Scenes:
- the second time Sophie walks into Nathan in his appartment > awesome scene and 'Holy moly' indeed!
- the scene in Nathan's spa/hottub > OMFG!! HOT x 10000
- the concert and Nathan singing for Sophie > moved me to my core

Sophie Rose Butler is working as a cleaner to pay off the student loan she took to pay for her psych degree. On the job she walks in on one of the guests and this changes her life in ways she couldn’t have dreamed of. Sophie is outspoken, she blurts out anything that comes to her mind. She’s also spontaneous and down-to-earth.

Nathan James Pace is wary of stalking groupies who are after his rock star alter ego, Jamie Speed (lead singer of the band Speed) so when Sophie appears in his bedroom at first he’s suspicious but soon the suspicion turns into something entirely different. He’s commanding and a hero after my own heart as he’s talkative (and we all know how much I love my dirty talking heroes…

The banter between Sophie and Nathan was as enjoyable as the chemistry between them was hot. The sex scenes set my e-reader on fire as they were beyond scorching! Jess Dee writes sex scenes like nobody's business. They are explicit, evocative and luscious. Though this is only the second book I’ve read by Jess Dee, I have quite taken a liking to her writing style.

There weren’t many secondary characters but it suffices to say that I am intrigued beyond measures by Nathan’s brothers and fellow band members Zachary and Seth and their band manager Luke. As SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS is the first book in the series I am thrilled to know there will be books about the brothers and hopefully Luke too.

I loved the premise of this book and the execution of said promise. The rock star spiel and the fact that Sophie and Nathan have been seeing each other in their dreams for ten years without ever meeting one another, was an interesting concept and gave this book a fabulous edge that makes it stand out from other contemporary romances.

From the first word, page and chapter I was drawn into this story and Jess Dee's writing. It's clean, crisp, unapologetic and fast-paced. Just the way I like my contemporary romances. I love how her writing is pure and unembellished and very down to earth while still being hot, emotionally gripping and erotic. The way she combines red-hot heat with the beautiful build up of deeper feelings and love and the depth of her characters is simply mesmerizing.

I couldn't stop reading and read SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS in one sitting. More accurately, I gobbled this second book I've ever read by Jess Dee up, like a starved pauper at an all-you-can-eat buffet. And I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

Favorite Quotes:
Her body burned. Lust seeped from the point of contact with his mouth, through her arm, into her stomach and lower. It curled in a tight ball between her legs, stirring up an insistent hum of need.

“I wanted you yesterday at the pastry shop too.” Nathan’s voice drizzled over her like melted chocolate. Sweet, creamy and so damn smooth.

Look, Sophie, we can’t kid ourselves. I live a million miles away, and I’ll only be in Sydney another two days. But we’re here now, and whatever forces have thrown us together, this feels good now. It feels right.”
If by right he meant tingly all over, shaky with anticipation and desperate to touch, then yes, now did feel right.

She had no idea whose groan filled the air, but it was low and infused with a desperate cry of hunger.

“You’re the first guest I’ve walked in on.”
“And your last, I hope.” Jesus. Where did that come from? He had no right to demand anything from a woman he’d met just the day before. Even if she did seem to soothe his soul and fill the emptiness in his heart.

Nathan’s heart wrenched. His chest ached as he watched her erotic dance. He could fall in love with this woman. He could fall hard and fast and never know what hit him.
That tingle in his spine, that seemed to have been present since he yanked the front door open, multiplied. Electricity chased its way over every nerve ending.

Lights exploded behind his eyelids, the tingles spread, fingers of electricity snaking up his spine.
He fought it off. Damn, he fought.
Didn’t help. Those lips. That tongue. Her mouth…

No matter that he’d made love to her in the dressing room a little over an hour ago, he was ready again. He groaned softly. “I’ve got an erection from hell.”
“Yeah? Well, at least it’ll ease in a few minutes,” Sophie grumbled in his ear. “I have to walk around in wet panties for the rest of the night.”

ARC-Review: HEART OF DARKNESS by Lauren Dane

2011-10-31T20:00:00.002+01:00

From national bestselling author Lauren Dane comes a white-hot new series of a dangerous family legacy, and sensual paranormal passions played to the death on the knife-edge of darkness…

Meriel Owen, next in line to control the largest organization of witches in the country, is asked to investigate the owner of a notorious club reportedly siphoning magic from the font of the Clan. It’s a direct violation of the Clan Code of Conduct, but one look at Dominic Bright and Meriel’s willing to make a deal. One taste of the sexually feral outlaw witch, and she’s eager to go further: he’s her bond mate, a legal conduit into the world of Clan witches and their magic.

Playing by the rules isn’t Dominic’s style, but bonding with Meriel—night after explosive night—is. However, Meriel has unwittingly invited someone else into her world: Dominic’s mother, a dangerous and poisonously influential magic addict whose lust for death and power corrupts all she touches. Now her shadow is closing in on Meriel, her Clan, and the man Meriel loves, and it’s casting them all into the inescapable heart of darkness.

Title: HEART OF DARKNESS
Author: Lauren Dane
Series: Bound by Magick, book 1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year of release: 2011, November 1
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Won an ARC at author’s Blog

First line: Meriel sat, taking notes as her mother spoke from the head of the table.

Memorable Scenes:
- Dominic apologizing to Meriel after he shut her out when he found out his true heritage > very moving and first time I saw the vulnerability that was lurking beneath Meriel's tough exterior.

Meriel Owen is the witch next in line to lead the Owen Clan, the crown princess so to speak. She is shrewd, compassionate, stubborn and up-front. But she’s also powerful and perceptive. She says what she thinks and though she may have a soft and compassionate side, when necessary she can be tough as nails.

Dominic Bright is an outclan witch who likes to play on the edge. He’s bold, rebellious, cocky and self-sufficient. He can also be a bit bossy and has enough self-assurance to pull of arrogant without going over the top.

The chemistry between Meriel and Dominic is scorching and tantalizing. From the moment they met on the page the sparks flew between them. I really liked the dry, subtle humor of both Meriel and Dominic, which made their dialogues interesting and entertaining to say the least.

Some interesting secondary characters are introduced in this first installment of the series. Some of these characters I’m sure will definitely have their own books further along in the series, others are already at the place where they form a secondary supporting cast for the main couple in HEART OF DARKNESS but also those in future books.

HEART OF DARKNESS wasn’t all about the romance. It also had some good world-building, it was not too complex but still very intriguing. To me, a reader who is not into too heavy world-building and likes her paranormal romances focused on the romance with the paranormal lightly weaved into it, HEART OF DARKNESS was a great read.

However I can imagine that readers who like their PNR and UF dark, will find this one too light for their taste. What I also loved about the plot part of HEART OF DARKNESS is that the overall main plot will presumably span several books in this series but this first book definitely had its own rounded plot-arc that will have its place in the overall plot. I really liked how the plot was set up and executed in this first installment.

I like that no matter what genre Lauren Dane books I read, they always have this distinctive recognizable style I like. With HEART OF DARKNESS it was no different. Her straightforward, direct and unapologetic writing appeals to me in both her contemporary and paranormal settings. I loved the vibe of this book. It had something laid-back and easy about it, but was still exciting, intriguing and compelling.

What I liked most in HEART OF DARKNESS was the chemistry between Dominic and Meriel, which led to awesome dialogues and some steamy love scenes . Combined with good, clear and not too descriptive world-building and the great characterization of both Meriel and Dominic I just loved reading this book and I look forward to whatever else Lauren Dane has to offer in this series.

Favorite Quotes:
Dominic Bright in the flesh was a punch to the gut. A sensory wallop of total and unbelievable hotness.

She continued her approach, steadying legs that may have buckled had she been a lesser woman, stopping finally when her thighs touched the table. The scent of his magick hung about him like a heavy cloak. And fed her like she’d been starving.
“Mr. Bright, you’ve been a very naughty boy.”
“So I’ve been told a time or two. I take it you’re Clan Owen here to spank me.”

She was everything all at once but he never felt as if he’d lost part of himself. Just more of something else added to that. She hadn’t made him whole, she’d simply snapped all the missing pieces together and in doing so he was whole.

This was part of what they were together. Meriel made his blood sing, made his magick rise, made him hard and short of breath.
This was everything.

QuickScore-Review: COVER STORY by Olivia Brynn

2011-10-28T08:00:00.002+02:00

Forty-something divorcée Cate Roberts was always a pushover when it came to her little sister, but agreeing to pose for the cover of Zoe’s romance novel might be taking it too far. Especially when she’s confronted with the male lead, Bo Gaddis. It’s a good thing that Bo is gay, and much too young for her, because Cate could easily see herself falling for the embodiment of every romance lover’s dream man.

Bo never renounced the rumor that he was gay. In fact, it helped his career, and helped him stick to his strict rule about sleeping with his co-model. That’s about to be tested though, because Cate is everything he wanted in a woman. If only he can convince her that age isn’t a factor, and he’s not only straight, but very attracted to her.

Title: COVER STORY
Author: Olivia Brynn
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Year of release: 2011, June 22
Format: eBook
Source: Received a copy from the author for review

First line:
Cate groaned into the phone.

Memorable Scenes:
- the photoshoot > hot-hot-hot with awesome sexual tension

QuickScore-Verdict:
COVER STORY is a very short story (56 pages) but it was an example of great things that come in small packages. I loved Cate and Bo, I loved the plot (shooting a romance novel cover), I loved Olivia Brynn's easy, fast-paced, clean and crisp writing and the trope (cougar) is one of my favorites too!

My first taste of Olivia Brynn's work, though short, was definitely a blast. I was never that interested in the covers but this book might have made me perk up and pay more attention to them now. And Olivia, any time you want to write a story on Keith, I’ll run to get and read it ;)

Favorite Quotes:
"We're going to get pretty intimate in the next few hours." He raised one eyebrow. "I don't like to get naked with a complete stranger."
Keith snorted. "Liar. You'd take your clothes off to order a pizza."
"No one's talking to you."

Bo laughed. "Keith likes the blonde bombshell beach babes."
"Not anymore." Keith pulled the tie out of his hair and shook it loose. "I've switched to brunette bombshells. They don't break your heart."
Keith grinned. "My body is made to please, but my heart is off limits. That's why it's still intact."

"Now, we'll start by getting used to me being close to you. Try touching me."
She raised both hands to cover the dark circles of his nipples. Hot. His skin was so warm. She curled her fingers, denting the smooth flesh of his pecs.
"That's right," he growled. "Learn me. Don't be shy. Nothing is off limits to you."

If his heart didn't slow down, he'd probably have a stroke, and his palms were sweating like a pre-teen at his first dance. For the first time, he'd forgotten his role. Gay model. Women are more comfortable when at their most vulnerable, when the stranger manhandling them is gay. Less pressure. Less fear. He knew that. He'd come to terms with it as part of the job. Ironically, he'd put himself in a closet for these women, but fighting attraction had never been so damn hard.

"I don't know what you did to me, but I don't think I can walk out of this room without tasting your mouth." (Bo)

Everything about Bo assaulted her senses to the point of infusing her with an electric jolt of need.

ARC-Review: REAL MEN WILL by Victoria Dahl

2011-10-26T08:00:00.007+02:00

It was meant to be a one-night stand. One night of passion. Scorching hot. Then Beth Cantrell and Eric Donovan were supposed to go their separate ways. That’s the only reason he lied about his name, telling her he was really his wild younger brother. Hiding his own identity as the conservative Donovan. The “good” one.

But passion has its own logic, and Eric finds he cannot forget the sable-haired beauty with whom he shared one night of passion. When Beth discovers that Eric has lied, however, she knows he cannot be trusted. Her mind tells her to forget the blue-eyed charmer. If only every fiber of her being did not burn to call him back.

Title: REAL MEN WILL
Author: Victoria Dahl
Series: Donovan Brothers Brewery, book 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: HQN Books
Year of release: 2011, October 25
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Requested an e-ARC for review from publisher through NetGalley

First line:
Beth Cantrell hadn't thought about him in almost six months.

Memorable Scenes:
- Cairo and Beth's 'wax talk' > priceless
- scene in the entryway of Beth's house after drinking wine with Beth's dad > OMG beyond hot

Beth Cantrell is the manager of erotic boutique the White Orchid. Even though she has this exciting job she thinks of herself as neither cool nor hip or spunky She is self-concious and doesn’t want to be seen as a novelty or held to other people’s standards or expectations.

Eric Donovan was an interesting character. He is serious, intense and quiet. Controlfreak is an understatement when it comes to describing him and he hates being wrong or ashamed. Eric was a complex character for me. I never really disliked him, but I did not approve how he treated his siblings in their books and in his own book, definitely in the beginning I thought he didn't own up to what he'd done...

However I did understand where he was coming from. He felt like he had to work extra hard to prove himself and to be the parent to his siblings, always setting the right example and when the opportunity arose to be a little wild and wicked albeit under the assumption of his brother's name and reputation he thought it wouldn't hurt. He's also pretty quick on drawing conclusions and accusing his siblings of stuff without giving them the benefit of the doubt. Not a fine trait to be honest. As I said, Eric was a complex character because on one page I'd have the urge to smack him and on the other I would feel sorry for him and sympathize.

I read the anthology story in THE GUY NEXT DOOR where Eric and Beth's story started so I was waiting for the confrontation when Beth found out Eric had lied to her. And it was awesome. I loved how stunned Eric was when he realized he was found out and Beth's fury of having been lied to. Sparks flew in that scene and I was looking forward to how this was going to pan out. However in the first part of the book I felt there was more attention given to the sibling bickering and drama because of Eric and Jamie's not so good relationship than there was for Beth and Eric's romance.

And man, as rude and condescending as Eric was in BAD BOYS DO, Jamie was obnoxious and bratty in REAL MEN WILL, especially in the first part of the book.

Though I liked this book better than Tessa’s book I didn’t like it as much as I did Jamie’s. Once again I missed the humor, the spark that makes Victoria Dahl's books stand out to me from other contemporary romances. It really wasn’t a bad book and it's well-written as Victoria Dahl knows her brewery/hospitality stuff and the sexy times are hot but when you don't mesh with the characters and you miss the spunky humorous vibe, like me, it still misses the mark a bit.

Favorite Quotes:
[…] she suddenly felt as if she’d swallowed a heart that was way too big for her chest. She wanted him to touch her so she could turn to him. At the same time she wanted to edje around him and run away.

She knew from experience that a first kiss said a lot about how a man would perform in bed. For example, that guy two years ago who’d immediately thrust his tongue down her throat…that had been his level of restraint and subtlety during sex, as well. Foreplay had been something along the lines of “Brace yourself, I’m coming in!”

Eric swallowed hard. “My office is this way.” He gestured toward the hallway and she glared at his hand as if she wanted to snap it off.
“We might want to stay out here. Whoever you are, you’re less likely to end up dead if there are witnesses.”

He tried to think of something witty to say. Or something sexy. Or just a few words that might make sense when strung together. But his brain had gone into Neanderthal mode at the husky appreciation in her voice.

ARC-Review: IF YOU HEAR HER by Shiloh Walker

2011-10-24T08:00:00.002+02:00

A CRY IN THE WOODS
The scream Lena Riddle hears in the woods behind her house is enough to curdle her blood—she has no doubt that a woman is in real danger. Unfortunately, with no physical evidence, the local law officers in small-town Ash, Kentucky, dismiss her claim. But Lena knows what she heard—and it leaves her filled with fear and frustration.

Ezra King is on leave from the state police, but he can’t escape the guilty memories that haunt his dreams. When he sees Lena, he is immediately drawn to her. He aches to touch her—to be touched by her—but is he too burdened by his tragic past to get close? When Ezra hears her story of an unknown woman’s screams, his instincts tell him that Lena’s life is also at risk—and his desire to protect her is as fierce as his need to possess her.

Title: IF YOU HEAR HER
Author: Shiloh Walker
Series: Ash Trilogy, book 1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Year of release: 2011, October 25
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Received a digital ARC from author for review

First line:
Her name was Carly Watson. The final hours of her life were brutal.

Memorable Scenes:
- Lena and Ezra's first love scene > awesome, awesome scene!
- Ezra's declaration of love > awesome! Not some sappy all-of-a-sudden-in-the-middle-of-nookie epiphany but a heartfelt, almost involuntary, spontaneous outburst
- the stuff that happened after Hope and Lena went shopping > OMG OMG OMG!

Lena Riddle, chef at Running Brook Inn. She lost her eye-sight but despite her blindness she is perfectly able to take care of herself. She’s confident, outspoken and quick-tempered.

Ezra King is a police detective on leave due to an injury on the job. His past involves being betrayed by a woman he loved and trusted both personally and on the job. This leaves him guilt-ridden and untrusting of women. He’s sharp and direct.

I loved the chemistry between Lena and Ezra. It was hot but still had this laid-back ease about it. That is, until the first love scene...everything they (especially Ezra) were holding back came out full-force and made it a memorable scene. The romance was perfect! The love scenes were sizzling hot and scorching. Ezra was a (dirty) talker and he and Lena were perfectly balanced and matched. What more could I want?

As is usual in romantic suspense there are a lot of secondary character introductions and quite some walk-ons and mentions. I wondered how many of them will survive to appear or star in future books. While reading and getting introduced to these intriguing characters I kept wondering how it all fit together because I just knew Ms. Walker wasn't introducing these secondary characters and giving them POVs just for the fun of it.

I really liked how Shiloh Walker inserted the multiple men into Lena and Hope’s lives. Lena had Ezra, Law and Remy. Hope had Remy and Law, though Law was more protective in a friendship kind of way than really smitten with her. I definitely liked how Ezra and Law were circling around each other, scoping each other out while vying for the same woman but again Ms. Walker did an awesome job of keeping it all focused on the main romance.

The first page immediately grabbed me and I wasn't let go until the very last page. The suspense is gritty as heck. Mind-blowing good! The last few romantic suspense novels I read didn't have the villain POV and reading IF YOU HEAR HER, which does, made me realize once more how much I like that. For me it adds another layer to the suspense, which I like a lot.

While reading and enjoying this book I was analyzing the different POVs and that of the villain to see if I could deduce who the villain could be...adding suspects to my list, crossing suspects off when the villain's POV would give me little pieces of information that didn't fit certain suspects. Now THAT'S a perfect romantic suspense!

Shiloh Walker's writing never fails to amaze and captivate me. Her suspense is awesome. Her characters, both primary and secondary, are fleshed out with back-stories and great characterization, giving them depth and likeability (and making them horrifying in the case of the villain). The romance is in perfect balance with the suspense.

I was at about 65% into this book when a friend asked me what I thought about it as both she and I were anxious for this book to come out and both ecstatic when I got an ARC. When in answer all I could do was make unintelligible sounds and weird sighing and grunting noises I knew this was a book headed to another 5-star/perfect 10 read. Individually the suspense and the romance were awesome! Put together and combined with the characterization, back-stories, intertwined character connections and Shiloh Walker's brilliant emotionally gripping writing style they turned IF YOU HEAR HER into the nearly perfect read for me.

That is until I got to the end, because when I got there I wanted to kill and hug Shiloh Walker at the same time. The ending could have made this a perfect 10 read but because it did not give me what I wanted, I have no choice but to give this book an almost perfect read stamp. I am not telling what it is that I wanted because that would spoil this book. All I can say is that Shiloh Walker is a brilliant and evil genius when it comes to romantic suspense and the start of this trilogy!

Favorite Quotes:
His mouth came down on hers, easy and light, keeping it slow at first. She opened for him and shuddered as he traced his tongue along her lower lip. He tasted like coffee and chocolate cheesecake and man. Delicious.

Looking at her mouth had him all but drooling for another taste, just like looking at her body had him wanting to touch. No. Forget want. Need. He needed to touch.

Don’t you “Hello, Lena” me, she almost snapped. She managed to bite it back simply because she didn’t want him to know she’d been looking forward to him calling her . . . like he’d said he would. Bastard.
“You okay, Lena?”
“Oh, I’m just peachy,” she drawled, resisting the urge to cross her arms over her chest. Just the sound of that low, sexy drawl had her body doing bad, bad things—her nipples beaded up, her belly went hot and loose, and her heart was racing.
Sexy, so damned sexy, the sort of voice a woman wants to hear murmuring in her ear during just the right moment— hell, with that kind of voice, any moment would be right.

“He talk to himself a lot?” Ezra asked, trying to distract himself. It was either that . . . or lean in and press his face against the curve of her neck. She smelled good, something light, almost citrusy, but not quite. Female, and sexy. Completely delicious.
Friends, he reminded himself. They were just going to be friends. F#ck . . . that smell was killing him. He desperately wanted to find the source of it and just start licking it right off her skin.

[...]and his hands . . .whoa. He could do things with his hands that just might
be illegal in some countries. Then there was his mouth— his mouth could almost put his hands to shame and if she wasn’t careful, she just
might start whimpering in need if she thought about it too much.

“I started to fall for you that night, Lena. I guess it’s why I backed away . . . maybe I didn’t think I could handle it.”
“And what makes you think you can handle it now?”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure I can’t. But then again if I wait until I can handle things, then I never would do anything,” he murmured, rubbing his lips against hers.
“Things happen when they happen, not when you’re ready for them.”
She sighed against his mouth, a smile curling her lips. “That sounds kind of . . . well, romantic, Ezra. Never would have thought it of you.”
“Hmmm.” Lifting his head, he smiled at her. “Oh, I can get plenty romantic.”

QuickScore-Review: LETTING GO by Dee Carney

2011-10-21T08:00:00.002+02:00

Kane has to convince his best friend Nadine of two things. First, it’s time for her to stop mourning her deceased fiancé. Second – and most importantly – Kane has fallen in love with her.

Nadine knows if she can move past Justin’s death, the tentative feelings she’s denying Kane will blossom. Only she can’t seem to move on. Desperate, she turns to a psychic for help so she can say the final goodbyes she’d been denied years before.

For one night, Kane, Nadine and Justin will face the grief threatening to break down a friendship and turn to a love that will make them whole again.

Title: LETTING GO
Author: Dee Carney
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Noble Romance Publishing
Year of release: 2009, February 12
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-copy from author on a dare because I said on Twitter I don’t like romances with ghosts in them.

First line:
He ignored the silence at their table.

Memorable Scenes:
- first chapter > starts off with a nice voyeurism scene
- the love scene > heartbreaking, beautiful and hot at the same time

QuickScore-Verdict:
Dee Carney sent me this book after I was saying on twitter that I don't like romance novels with characters that are ghosts and that even mentions of ghosts in a back cover blurb will stop me from buying or reading a book.

I really liked the opening chapter. It set the stage and immediately gave me a great first look into the main characters and their personalities. I still don't like ghosts in my romance but I have to give it to Dee Carney that she wrote a wonderful story and her approach to the whole ghost plotline seemed quite original. I say seemed because obviously I haven't read enough romances with ghosts in them to be able to make a comparison.

LETTING GO is an emotional coworkers & friends-to-lovers romance that didn’t blow me away but it still worked for me despite the ghost. This says a lot about Dee Carney and her writing skills.

Favorite Quotes:
Nadine forked through fluffy grains of arroz con pollo. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on or not?”
“I’ll catch you up even though the blood is leaving my head to race toother parts of my anatomy unknown to you.”
“Kane!” She could let that last bit slide, but having to hear about a growing erection teased her neglected libido. At the same time, it flummoxed her. The anatomy they discussed belonged to Kane, of all people. His grin widened. “I’m just sayin’, if what I say doesn’t make any sense,you know why.”

Requested Review: DESTINY CALLS by Samantha Wayland

2011-10-19T08:00:00.002+02:00

Patrick didn’t think it would be a big deal to kiss his best friend Brandon. Hell, they’d done crazier things to avoid a bar fight. He was totally unprepared to be wildly turned on, the kiss opening up new avenues of pleasure he’d never dreamt of—Patrick, after all, was straight, even if Brandon wasn’t.

Destiny’s never been afraid to ask for what she wants. When she sees Patrick and Brandon together, she knows exactly what she wants—the three of them in bed together, preferably with her in the middle of a hot, naked-man sandwich with her two best friends.

When Brandon finds himself hunted by an unknown enemy, the three friends find themselves fighting for their lives—and their hearts.

Title: DESTINY CALLS
Author: Samantha Wayland
Series: standalone (as far as I know)
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Year of release: 2011, July 6
Format: eBook
Source: Received the ebook for review from author

First line:
He should have just stayed home.

Memorable Scenes:
- Destiny's little experiment with Brandon > my heart broke for Brandon at his realization that he was alone, had no one who was "his"
- the scene at Patrick's house after Brandon's attack > I teared up
- Captain Sullivan's reaction to Patrick's confession about loving both Destiny and Brandon > gotta love that man!

Destiny Matthews is a marketing executive with commitment issues. She’s take-charge, outspoken and tough but she has a soft core and her heart is in the right place.

This ménage has two heroes. First we have Brandon, who is bi-sexual. He’s also restraint, and stubborn but can be volatile when pushed to far.

Second we have Patrick who is straight, or at least he’s always thought he was straight until one kiss turns his world upside down. He’s kind, explosive, and outgoing. He’s also quick-mouthed and only shows his sweet side in private

Brandon and Patrick are both police officers and longtime best friends. Patrick seemed to be the binding factor in this ménage. Both Brandon and Destiny have (secret) crushes on him. Brandon tries to contain his attraction to Patrick and hides his unrequited love in favor of their lifelong friendship. Destiny and Patrick have been lovers off and on but it has always stayed on a sexual level.

While Patrick is the binding factor that brings them together, Destiny is the glue that keeps them together. She's the calming element when the guys' explosive tempers rear their heads. I clicked most with Destiny and Patrick.

This is an emotionally complex and intense story. Three lives with their different individual connections to each other are intricately woven together through some major attraction, explosive chemistry and deeply rooted love. Samantha Wayland has made a very good first impression on me. However there were some things that didn’t completely work for me.

I had a bit of trouble getting into the story but that lasted about a few chapters and had to do with the fact that the story opened with and at first focused on the m/m part of the m/m/f ménage. As known I'm not a m/m romance reader but do enjoy m/m/f romances when the woman is the focal point of the ménage. DESTINY CALLS started with just Brandon and Patrick though and that threw me back for a bit. However once Destiny entered the scene I was completely engaged...And more importantly, the story needed the opening it had as the whole dynamic between the friends and the development of the ménage hinged on it.

I believed in the Destiny/Patrick and Brandon/Patrick sexual and emotional connections, but in the beginning I had trouble believing in the Destiny/Brandon connection since there was no obvious foundation in something past fond friendship, contrary to the foundations that were present between respectively Brandon and Destiny with Patrick.

However sex scene wise I believed it all and gobbled it all up once I accepted that Samantha Wayland was going to tell this story as she saw fit and it wouldn't be conforming to my notions of how a m/m/f ménage should be. And the way she saw fit, was the way to go because that was the only way to let the story run its course towards the HEA that I ultimately what want to see in the end. And whatever I might have found not to my liking in this book, it was never the hot, rife with raw emotions, love scenes.

Next to the intricate and emotionally complex romance there's suspense as well (well duh, Brandon and Patrick are police officers). I started believing it was going to involve the arrest a mob kingpin. But there's also a violent attack on Brandon and this turned out to be the major element in the plot. Though there is a lot happening in this book, the pace was slow and not slow in a bad way, but just not fast-paced compared to everything happening.

Even though I'm still not a fan of too much m/m action and focus in m/m/f ménages and for me there wasn't enough focus on the female in the triad somehow this book still worked for me because of the raw emotions and emotional struggles that the characters went through to accept each other and all the consequences that went with that.

After finishing this book it stayed with me for quite some time as I couldn’t exactly form my final thoughts on it. Even though it had that m/m focus I am not fond of, it still made a big emotional impression on me. She definitely pushed some buttons with me and made me think about what I like and don’t like in ménages and I will definitely be looking for more books by Samantha Wayland.

Favorite Quotes:
God, Brandon tasted good. Familiar and different. The strength of Brandon’s arms, his sheer size, his flavor and texture. It was like Patrick’s first kiss all over again. A world of discovery in one lip-locked moment. Heat poured through him, thrumming with rough need.

She sat watching him [Patrick], her heart filled with compassion, her body humming with desire. His face was a mask of confusion and shock.

Patrick’s tongue stole over his, his lips yielding, responding, working at Brandon’s mouth. Each touch, each parry of Patrick’s tongue sent electric shocks zinging through Brandon’s body. He acquiesced, giving the kiss over while sinking deeper into it. It was so sweet. So good. Patrick ran a thumb over Brandon’s jaw and he let his eyes close, simply losing himself in kissing Patrick.
[...] Three days of jerking off hadn’t even come close to easing the ache. But this. His blood sang on its way south, his head spun from its rapid retreat. Every nerve ending was on full alert, gathering in sensations, swamping him with data.

He stared at her, achingly aware of his need for her, his desire that couldn’t be spent with one orgasm. Especially since he’d come in his pants like a freaking teenager. Jesus. (Brandon)

Brandon wanted to reach out, to shout his denial at the loss of contact, but stopped himself. He couldn’t pressure Patrick, no matter how the need beat at him. He had to let Patrick set the pace, even if Brandon wanted to fall to his knees and beg.
Come to that, if he were to fall to his knees in front of Patrick, there were a few things he’d like to do while he was down there.

She backed toward the door, her hand up. “No. I have to go. Don’t look at me like that! I can’t miss this meeting.” Dropping her hand, she clutched the handle of her briefcase. “I swear to god, Patrick, stop looking at me like that. It’s not fair.”
Brandon covered his mouth with one hand, doing a fairly poor job of hiding his laughter. They both knew what they’d done to her. Jerks. Mouth-watering, hunky, sex-god jerks.

He knew he should say something to make Brandon believe it would all be worth it, but he didn’t have the words. He had never been more acutely aware that being the one with the big mouth wasn’t the same as being the one who knew the right thing to say.

ARC-Review: THE HEART OF A KILLER by Jaci Burton

2011-10-17T08:00:00.004+02:00

No one said coming home would be easy. But for Dante Renaldi, it's murder.

Before the Special Forces hero has even unpacked his bags from twelve years of active duty, he's embroiled in murder—corpses bearing the brutal trademark he's seen only once before—on the worst night of his life.

The last time Detective Anna Pallino saw Dante Renaldi, they were in love. Now, he's part of the connection to a string of fresh homicides and a horrible assault Anna only survived thanks to him.

More than anything, Anna wants to trust Dante. But as the bodies and the coincidences stack up, Anna will have to decide, and fast: Is the man she owes her life to the very same one who wants her dead?

Title: THE HEART OF A KILLER
Author: Jaci Burton
Series: The Killer series, book 1
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: MIRA Books (Harlequin)
Year of release: 2011, October 18
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Received an ARC from author for review

First line:
He shouldn't have come home. (chose first line of Ch 1, not the prologue)

Memorable Scenes:
- the prologue > I was immediately hooked
- the love scenes > there weren't many but those that were there were exquisite
- suspense wrap-up scene > nail-bitingly awesome

Anna Pallino is headstrong and fierce, sharp, tough and tenacious. Ever since the attack 12 years ago she has PTSD-induced panic attacks but she doesn’t let that hinder her in any way. I loved Anna as the heroine of THE HEART OF A KILLER.

Dante Renaldi is protective and mysterious. I connected more with Anna than with Dante and this was probably because of this air of mystery that surrounded him and the way he kept his feelings close to himself.

The romance is subtle as the focus in THE HEART OF A KILLER is more on the suspense but the subtlety did bring that perfect balance between romance and suspense I look for in romantic suspense novels. The love scenes are excellently done, though there aren't many the ones that are in the book are plenty sexy because of the simmering chemistry between Anna and Dante. They fit the romance perfectly and follow the characters' emotional path throughout the book seamlessly.

As usual with romantic suspense, there are quite some secondary characters. They way Jaci Burton used all these characters in the plot was awesome. She really surprised me with some of the twists and choices and I love to be surprised when it comes to secondary characters. Gabe, one of Dante’s foster brothers, especially intrigued me and I hope he'll get his own story in this series.

The prologue immediately grabbed me and set the pace and premise: gritty and action-packed yet with room for a little romance. Within 50 pages I was totally immersed in the suspense that was brilliantly set up from the start. It was not too mysterious and not too revealing either, giving me enough rope to form suspicions, some of which were spot-on, yet leaving room for some utterly unexpected turn of events.

This is my first encounter with Jaci Burton's full-length work. I read some contemporary e-novellas some years ago. Since then I bought her backlist as I liked her writing style and I’m so glad my intuition was right. In THE HEART OF A KILLER she does a great job of penning down a romantic suspense with just the right amount of gritty, nail-biting suspense to keep you breathlessly in its grip. Yet, there is the counterbalance of an emotional romance that was built up gradually yet held firm in the turmoil of the suspense.

As known I read quite some Romantic Suspense and I must say that THE HEART OF A KILLER, though light on the sexy (in terms of quantity...), and subtle on the romance, is engaging in the heart-wrenching emotions and has an awesome suspense plot. Not only the plot itself (serial killer copycatting an accidental manslaughter from 12 years before and now after the people involved) was impressive, but also the execution of it. The way it was written, it kept me in its grip from the prologue, throughout the investigation right to the moment it was all revealed and wrapped up.

I totally loved this book and I’m now anxiously waiting for the next romantic suspense from Ms. Burton. All the right buttons were hit by voice, writing-style, pace and plot leading the way but romance, trope and heat-level were very close behind them. My first taste of it has definitely left me craving more.

Favorite Quotes:
He laid his palm against the door above her head, his body hot and enticing as he stared down at het with sea-blue eyes that made her want to dig her teeth in to his shirt and rip it off, then bury her face in his neck and lick the bead of sweat that had formed there.

Though she would have clocked other men for grabbing her, she melted against him. Dante’s body was familiar to her. She couldn’t help herself, she had to touch, to test her reaction. She slid her palms along his biceps. Hard muscle and soft skin eased across her hands, making her tingle in places that just flat out never tingled.

That’s what he wanted. Anna engaged, listening to the needs of her body instead of walking through the motions of sex as if it was a road map. She had a lush, beautiful body that was made to be loved, and he knew she’d either had lousy lovers in the past or she just hadn’t allowed any man to take his time and giver her the attention she deserved.

Her mouth tempted him, always had. Besides the sassy things that came out of it when she spoke, she had full, sweet lips and she knew how to kiss. She wasn’t tentative about it and she’d always thrown herself fully into a kiss. He loved a woman who did that.

“Everything I am is here for you to see, to touch, to taste,” he said, rising up to meet her again as he took her hands in his. “I won’t hold anything back from you.” Dam him for his honesty, for letting her see the naked truth in his eyes. His fingers dug into her hips and he dragged her against him again, taking her so close she had to bite down on her lip to keep from catapulting over the edge.
“It’s only fair to give me the same, Anna. Let go.

QuickScore-Review: SATISFYING HER TASTES by Keri Ford

2011-10-14T08:00:00.006+02:00

Blondes have more fun? Pfft. Bad Girls have more fun. Rebecca Gabel was accused of being a bad girl and she discovered life was easier (and more fun!) to live up to the reputation than try to deny it. But now with a new comer who’s taking her up on her suggestions, Rebecca is a little out of her element. There’s talking the talk…and then there’s having to walk it.

Grant Iverson recently inherited land from his mother, so he’s arrived in Apple Trail, Arkansas to check the place out and see if there are any treasures hidden there. What he doesn’t expect to find is a woman full of curves and a mouth of pure sin, but whose eyes reflect nothing but curious innocence.

Title: SATISFYING HER TASTES
Author: Keri Ford
Series: Uninhibited in Apple Trail, Arkansas – book 5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
Year of release: 2011, August 26
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via the publisher’s eBookstore

First line:
“You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”

Memorable Scenes:
- Scene at the pond > hot and kind of a turning point

QuickScore-Verdict:
Two people with totally opposite romantic goals (Rebecca wants to flirt it up and have some sexy fun, Grant wants to settle down and calm his cavorting ways) end up finding what they didn't know they wanted in each other. Bad boy wants to go good, good girl wants to go bad.

I loved this installment of the Apple Trail series and enjoyed Rebecca and Grant but it was not the best of the series for me. The middle part seemed to stay on the surface a bit...not going deeper into the layers of Grant, Rebecca and their budding relationship. The end however gave me what I was looking for, but it seemed as if I missed an important chunk of the story before the final few chapters.

Reading this book once again made me look at the trap of having too high expectations. I loved the previous books a lot and built my expectations of this book on them, which is why I think it fell a little bit short for me

Favorite Quotes:
Damn.
No. She blinked and dragged her chin off her knees. Not just damn, but day-um. Tall. Tanned. Tattooed. Shaved head down to a dark shadow over his head. Black grease smeared over his white tank that just barely—oh, what the hell—that wasn’t even coming close to hiding rippling, pouring, drool worthy muscles of his chest and abs and holy hell, look at those thighs in those jeans.

If being wrapped in and around this warm wall of rock was any indication, she would certainly forget for a bit and have loads of memories to take home.
Very, very good memories. Like how being pressed to his rippled, chiseled chest and abs caused her thighs to tingle and tighten. His rock hard chest was unforgiving against her sensitive nipples. His hips rocked against her pelvis. He didn’t merely kiss her with his mouth, he kissed her with his body. Where their skin touched, delicious tingling sensations chilled and heated her all at once.

She shimmied her shorts off her hips and gravity took them and his eyeballs from there down the curves of her legs to the ground.

Grant was coming toward her. Water splashed around his knees…then thighs as he walked toward her full of purpose. She shuddered, thinking of his purpose on that four-wheeler ride. Every. Long. Hard. Thick inch of purpose in his jeans that had been sandwiched to her ass through every bump and hole on the trail. She swallowed and dipped lower in the pond to cool off.

“You whimper. You cry. You get choked. You arch and your legs twitch against mine. Your hips rock into me hard enough I’m about to come in my shorts. Your head falls back and your lips thrust up. You are a sexy woman, Rebecca and not because of some damn rumors I’ve never heard of before. It’s all you. So yeah, shh and let me hear you. Listening to you get hot for me is one of the best things I’ve ever heard in my life.”

Requested Review: WITH NO REMORSE by Cindy Gerard

2011-10-13T08:00:00.002+02:00

Black Ops, Inc. operative Luke –Doc Holliday– Colter is taking some much needed down-time, making his way across the Peruvian Andes via rail, when banditos attack the moving train in the midnight hours. It soon becomes apparent that robbery is not their intent but the abduction of super model Valentina, who is traveling incognito while recovering from a public scandal involving her ex-husband, high profile US Senator, Marcus Chamberlin.

Luke whisks Valentina off the train in a daring escape but the two of them become the targets of a relentless manhunt. Enlisting the aid of Luke's BOI teammates, they soon discover that Val’s intended abduction is linked to a plot put in play by an international gun smuggling alliance. The BOI team led by Luke, with Val along as a necessary pawn, must race halfway around the world to thwart a ruthless attack that would not only result in a devastating loss of life but destroy a tenuous peace the US and her allies have established in a vastly unstable part of the world.

Title: WITH NO REMORSE
Author: Cindy Gerard
Series: Black Ops Inc., book 6
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Pocket Books
Year of release: 2011, July 19
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Received an ARC from author for review at RWA Nationals in NYC

First line:
Luke Colter's number one rule of self-preservation: Don't ignore the itch.

Memorable Scenes:
- Luke and Val's escape from the bad guy shooters on the mules > I was holding my breath and at the same time thinking 'Doc makes a sexy cowboy'

Luke 'Doc Halliday' Colter is charming, gentle, protective and witty.
Lately he’s been questioning his job, whether he should keep doing what he does (coincidentally Wyatt was thinking the same in the previous book.). Then on the way home from his holiday during his one break per year, he runs into trouble and cannot stop his protective instincts from kicking in.

Hollywood star actress Valentina (Val) is sarcastic, tenacious and sassy. She’s trying not to depend on or need men for her happiness and safety as all they've done is hurt and use her but circumstances drive her right into the arms of knight in shining armor, Luke. Colter Good thing he's a good guy and a former Navy SEAL. When Luke prevents the kidnapping of Valentina during a train ride on one of the last days of his 2-week leave from BOI, they escape to Buenos Aires where the other BOIs join in to find out who is after Val and why.

The love scenes are hot and I love how Cindy Gerard keeps them original and fresh in every installment and how every romance is unique to the main characters at hand. I also liked the element in the romance where Val is the big movie star Luke had a crush on when he was younger. It gave the romance something extra, making it yet again different from the other romances in the series.

In this book there are some introductions of interesting secondary characters that were added to the original BOIs and with this series ending after the next book I'm hoping Cindy Gerard is going to start a new series with these men. My interest was definitely piqued by not only former naval pilot Brown but also the guys assigned to protect Val, Santos in particular.

The plot of WITH NO REMORSE takes us from Peru via Argentina to the USA and Sierra Leone and takes place almost a year after the end of RISK NO SECRETS and within 10 pages I was in the middle of exciting action and ready to enjoy Doc's story to the fullest. If there were things that should be noted in the less positive column of this review it would be that the references to movies/TV shows were cute but I'm not sure it doesn't date the book and Val's constant references to Luke as Indiana Jones started to become bothersome at one point.

Again Cindy Gerard created a different, unique plot for an installment of this great series. I also suspect the plot of the next book has it’s origin in the end of this one and I also think the overall wrapping up of a story line that started in SHOW NO MERCY (book 1) and was deepened out a little bit in the previous book (RISK NO SECRETS), was being geared up in this one for the next book as well. I love that!

Though I'm normally not quick to figure out the plots I must say the one in this book I had my finger on it from the start, knowing who was involved and why. And because I'm not the best at guessing these things in the romantic suspense books I read I think it's safe to say Cindy Gerard took the predictable and easy road there. However, despite the predictability the suspense still kept me at the edge of my seat as reading how the BOIs take down the bad guys is still a sight to behold and in the end there were some twists I didn't totally see coming. Those last 60-80 pages were breathtaking and awesome and totally in line with what I'm used to in this series.

Cindy Gerard writes mesmerizing romantic suspense. The balance in the mix between the suspense and romance is perfectly done and once I start reading a BOI book I just can't stop because when it's not the plot keeping me on the edge of my seat, it's the romance making me keep reading on thinking 'just one more page, one more chapter.'

WITH NO REMORSE is another great installment in this series and I'm sad to know that the next book is the final one. I've truly fallen in love with this series and Cindy Gerard's writing. I'm running out of words to describe how much I love the romantic suspense that Cindy Gerard writes. She blends mind-blowing military stuff with edge-of-your-seat suspense and hot, satisfying romance together so well, her books are highly addictive and impossible to put down once you start them. When I think Romantic Suspense I think Cindy Gerard!

Favorite Quotes:
And when he undid the buttons of his shirt, then whipped it off and handed it to her with a clipped, “Cover up with this”, her argument lost its steam.
That wasn’t all she lost when she was suddenly face to face with the lean, muscled breadth of his chest. Her power of speech took a hike as she sat like a mute and stared.

Luke took a moment to grieve for his balls, which were taking a hammering on the boniest backbone he’d ever had the misfortune to straddle. But when a barrage of automatic weapon fire cracked across the ground beside them, the state of his balls took a backseat to the danger to Valentina’s life.

Luke was going insane.
Break-out-the-anti-psychotic-drugs, dust-off-the-lobotomy-kitts, and lace-up-the-straitjackets insane. All this lush, sexy woman pressed against him was more than he could take.

Well, hell. He wasn’t gone yet. To make certain she understood that, he strode straight to the bed, leaned down, cupped her nape in his palm, and pulled her up to him. Then he kissed her like tomorrow might not come and he wanted to experience every nuance, every sigh, every sweet wanton response from the mouth that he wasn’t sure he could ever get enough of.

He made love to her with a tenderness he hadn’t known he was capable of expressing. With a reverence that he hoped showed her that this wasn’t about sex. This was about communion. This was about seekers who hadn’t even known they’d been searching. About lost souls who had defied fate and found themselves in each other.

Everything had seemed clear in the intimacy of the night, in the heat and intensity of the most profound emotional and sexual experience of Luke’s life.
Then morning, the bitch, showed up and muddied the waters again.

“Now let’s try that again. Ask my wife nice,” Reed ground out, butting his chest against Luke’s, “and maybe I’ll let you sleep in the same bed as your teeth tonight.”

“You’re my heartbeat, Val. You’re my reason for being the man I need to be. With you, anything’s possible. Without you…without you, I’m not the man I want to be.

QuickScore-Review: TAKE A CHANCE ON ME by Kate Davies

2011-10-12T08:00:00.003+02:00

Accept no substitute…for love.

THE LADY DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH
Jessica Martin is determined to earn a permanent teaching position at Summit High School. That means hard work, dedication, and even volunteering extra time to direct the school’s Shakespeare play. Which leaves no room for romance—especially with a co-worker. She didn’t factor in the school’s sexy security officer and the delicious fantasies he inspires.

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD
Former cop Tom Cameron likes his job. Or he did, until the new substitute busted his orderly life right open. Now, he can’t seem to avoid her—deserted hallways, empty theaters, classrooms after dark—but he’s got too many skeletons in his closet to risk his heart again. Asking her out to distract her from the play’s, well, drama is a friendly gesture. Nothing more.

THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE NEVER DID RUN SMOOTH
Their chemistry could melt down the science lab, and before long they’re burning up the sheets off-campus. And uncovering raw emotions—a stark reminder that love isn’t in their curricula. When a troubled student goes over the edge, though, the need to stop a tragedy brings them right back where they started—face to face with fate.

Warning: This book contains sexy encounters in classrooms, inappropriate use of school facilities, backstage shenanigans, and illicit activities on a ferryboat.

Title: TAKE A CHANCE ON ME
Author: Kate Davies
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, February 22
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Samhain eBookstore

First line:
Jessica was late.

Memorable Scenes:
- the scene at the pizza place > Very funny and cute, Jessica's friend Ana is a hoot!
- the school dance scene > the beginning of this scene reminded me of the movie GREASE complete with it's own Cha Cha DiGregorio (the annoying Gabrielle) LOL and the end was a great HEA + conclusion to the plot

QuickScore-Verdict:
This is a contemporary romance with a capital R! I loved the romance between Jessica and Tom. The built-up was very well done, going from small sparks of attraction, to smoldering sexual tension and sizzling chemistry to a sweet and lovely HEA.

The plot was good though a bit predictable but I really liked the high school setting and co-workers to lovers trope of this cute novella. Lately I've been reading books heavy on either the eroticism or the emotional intensity and to me the sweetness and normal guy/girl-next-door vibe of TAKE A CHANCE ON ME felt like a breath of fresh air!

TAKE A CHANCE ON ME is a perfectly balanced, well-paced and sweet contemporary that I really enjoyed a lot and loved it for bringing me back to my high school days...

Favorite Quotes:
He hadn’t consciously decided to live a solitary lifestyle, but that’s what had happened. It wasn’t a bad life, he supposed. He had a nice apartment in a quiet part of town. He could eat cold canned spaghetti over the sink and not worry about getting hell for it. He never had to share the remote control. He could sprawl across the bed without someone complaining how he was on her side.
Of course, there was also the silence. The half-empty closets. The embarrassing moments when he turned to comment on an article in the morning paper and no one was there. The times he woke in a cold sweat in the middle of the night and reached blindly across the king-size bed, only to find empty space.

It had only been for the briefest of moments, but he had a feeling that the inadvertent glimpse of creamy smooth skin and lace-trimmed bra would be on a playback loop in his mind for the rest of the evening. Perfect.

All she’d done was place her hand on his. A brief physical contact. Nothing more. So why was his hand still—tingly, for want of a better word? And he didn’t even want to think about the tingles still echoing in other more personal parts of his body.

“ Some discontent? She would have ripped my toenails out if given the chance.”
“So don’t wear open-toed shoes.”

Not that he was willing to concede that he was in love. It was too soon, too new, too overwhelming to consider that possibility. But the fact remained that Jessica had pulled him out of his self-imposed shell, and he was no longer interested in crawling back inside.

Review: RISK NO SECRETS by Cindy Gerard

2011-10-11T08:00:00.002+02:00

A RED-HOT ATTRACTION…
Twelve years of chasing bad guys didn't erase beautiful Sophie Baylor from Wyatt Savage's memory. If he had another chance, he'd never let her leave. So when she tracks him down from El Salvador and begs for help, he doesn't ask questions -- he just goes.

...STARTS WITH A TERRIFYING THREAT...
Sophie is grateful her daughter survived a kidnapping attempt, but she won't forgive herself until the girl who was mistakenly abducted is safe. Wyatt is the only man brave enough to take on the mysterious terrorists behind the crime; and the one irresistible man she wishes she had never let go.

...AND UNLEASHED AN UNFORGETTALBE ADVENTURE
Sophie knows Central America's steamy jungles and sticky politics better than anyone. Yet she refuses to hide in fear. Then she becomes the enemy's number-one target. Wyatt lost her once, and he won't lose her again -- even if he has to fight, kill, or die to save her.

Title: RISK NO SECRETS
Author: Cindy Gerard
Series: Black Ops Inc., book 5
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Pocket Books
Year of release: 2010, May 25
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Bought via The BookDepository

First line:
The old cargo van caught Sophie's attention the moment she stepped outside the Baylor Middle School's double front doors.

Memorable Scenes:
I seem to have developed a habit of not writing down memorable scenes in this series. I guess I’m too engrossed in reading to write stuff down. *headdesk*

But I do remember without notes the scene in this book where Sophie, Wyatt and the other BOIs go to some bars in a shady area of San Salvador to ask some questions. Sophie and Wyatt get outnumbered and in trouble and the BOIs come barging in the bar…guns blazing > That scene was so freaking awesome! And the epitome of what the BOIs stand for! (I’ve included a quote from that scene in my fave quotes too)

Sophie Baylor Weber is middle school principal. Sophie is decisive and compassionate but also tough and tenacious. Once she makes a decision she sticks by it and tries to make the best of it, even if she knows deep down, she could have made a different choice. Her love and commitment to her daughter is praiseworthy.

Wyatt 'Papa Bear' Savage is one of the BOIs. Lately he’s been feeling restless and doesn’t know how long he’ll be able to do the work he has been doing for his entire professional life. Wyatt is take-charge, solid and levelheaded, but he also has a soft, charming, seductive side that comes out with the woman he’s loved forever.

Wyatt and Sophie have a history of 12 years and their romance is a complicated one. Sophie was married to Wyatt's former best friend Hugh (a CIA operative turned private contractor turned mercenary). Though Wyatt set sight on Sophie first, it was Hugh, with his overwhelming personality, who snatched her up. However, the marriage is rocky and ends after several years, leaving Sophie with no other options than to contact Wyatt when trouble comes knocking on her door in the form of a failed attempt to kidnap her daughter.

I love how every couple in this series has their own story rife with unique to them complications. Sophie and Wyatt's story is not one of the simple boy-meets-girl in the midst of the danger that brings them together. They have a past in which Sophie chose the other guy (Wyatt's best friend) over him so to speak and then later finds out she made the wrong choice. And for Wyatt, though he accepted her choice, there hasn't been a single woman who could hold a candle to Sophie or make him forget her. This made for a romance filled with tension, sizzling sexual chemistry and their HEA was a hard-earned one.

Again the banter between the BOIs and their women hit full-force the moment several of them got together on the page. It's one of the elements of this series I enjoy immensely. I also love that the couples from the previous books come back, some books focus on some couples more than others, and play a part in the plot or you catch a glimpse of how they are doing after their HEA.

The plot in RISK NO SECRETS centers on child abduction and street gangs. The plot was a little predictable as in I figured out who the villain mastermind’s helper was pretty quickly. However the predictability was blown away by the awesome action it packed (will get back to that later) and the way the suspense plot was set up and executed.

Cindy Gerard writes action, gunfights like nobody's business. While reading her books I can almost see and feel the bullets fizzing by. Seriously, I'm not a violent person but I'm definitely in awe of the way she describes the gunfight and shoot-outs with the bad guys scenes, they are exciting and as breathtaking as any of the sexy scenes. Combine the vivid action images with some sizzling heat and chemistry between the main couples and there you have the essence of romantic suspense in a nutshell and Cindy Gerard captures that essence perfectly.

RISK NO SECRETS is a romantic suspense novel filled to the brim with action, suspense, romance and heat. To counteract the sometimes gruesome action, the suspense-filled plot and the evil villains, there is love: impossible love, puppy love, lost love, new love, old love and found-again love…all from both the main couple and the secondary characters.

Favorite Quotes:
Fried chicken. Peach pie. Meddling.
Yep, Wyatt thought as he spotted the dust trail of another vehicle bearing down on the Savage place. He’d hit the Margaret Savage trifecta.

Wyatt reined in a sharp twist of jealousy. Only years of practice in covert ops kept him from showing the slightest reaction while he contemplated the pain he could inflict by driving his knee full force into the Latin Casanova’s cojones.

Wyatt knew she had never been aware of the effect she had on him. If she had she’d be running scared, because that simple action –so alluringly female, so unconsciously sensual– had his gut clenching and his mouth going bone-dry.
It had always been that way when he was around her. His sense viscerally alert, his emotions raw to the point of bleeding, He wanted to lunge across the room, yank that wet dream of a dress above her waist, and bury himself hard and deep inside her. No finesse. No romance. Just lust. He wanted to consume and overwhelm and possess. And then, only then, did he want to settle her, gentle her, and make her achingly aware of how much he loved her.

“I know a way that you could make me smile.” He tilted his head and grinned his best come-hither grin.
Her fingers continued to fly over the computer keys.
“That’s because you’re easy.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
She turned to look at him then, graced him with an indulgent smile. “Darling man, right time, right place, it’s a wonderful thing.” She kissed the air in his direction. “But for now, put it on ice, loverboy. […]” (Reed and Crystal, my fave BOI couple!!)

Then in charged the cavalry, with Green leading the way, an AR-15 assault rifle rammed against his shoulder, his finger jammin’ on the trigger. Joe dropped to his knee, clearing the path for Mendoza, Jones and Doc to burst in behind him, firing a couple of M-4s and a lone AK.
Jesus! They were a sight.
[…]
“I ever tell you guys how pretty y’all are?” he asked with a tight grin as the tension started to uncoil from his chest by slow turns.
“Only every time we save your sorry ass.”

“I need you,” she mouthed against his skin.
She needed him? Christ. He was the one in need. Deep need. Dark need. Insatiable need of everything about her that made her woman, and wanton and willing in his arms.
He groaned when her warm mouth opened against his throat trailing long, lingering kisses that were as much suction as consumption, as much greed as giving.
Lord God above, she was eating him by inches, and he was powerless to do anything but lie there and et her feed until there was nothing left of him but memory.

She was fire. Burning, licking heat. He was steel. Forged, unyielding strength. Together they were hot, molten, unappeasable.

ARC-Review: HOT AS HADES by Alisha Rai

2011-10-10T08:00:00.001+02:00

Ensnaring the ultimate bad boy has its risks…and its rewards.

It’s not easy being Hades. Constantly guarding his world against other meddling and ambitious deities is stressful work. So when a naked goddess falls directly into his lap, along with the news that he has to shelter her for the indefinite future, he is less than thrilled. Particularly since he can’t help but lust after the beautiful female.

The Underworld isn’t the first place Persephone would pick for a vacation—who in their right mind would choose a dark palace over sunshine and flowers? Yet from Hades’s first touch, the dark, sexy ruler fascinates her and has her thinking a fling might be just the thing to while away her confinement.

But trust each other? Not a chance. Until the day comes that Persephone must leave…and they realize that trusting each other is the only way they’ll ever meet again.

Warning: Contains an arrogant god, a stubborn goddess, horny deity nookie and enough supernatural friction to set the Underworld on fire.

Title: HOT AS HADES
Author: Alisha Rai
Series: standalone (for now)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, October 11
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC from author for review

First line:
Hades, also known as the extremely badass Lord of the Underworld, was accustomed to souls dropping into his kingdom.

Memorable Scenes:
- Persephone's talk with Cerberus (the tawny and middle heads) > I laughed out loud
- Persephone’s return after her time back on Earth > moving and hot!

Persephone is the Goddess of vegetation. She has little to no control over her powers and is sent to the Underworld through a scheming deity. She’s spunky, defiant and tenacious. Though she knows Hades is sexually attracted to her but not happy with her presence, she gets in his face all the time. I liked that about her.

Hades is the ruler of the Underworld. He’s ornery, sarcastic, gruff and contrary. In any other hero these traits would be annoying as hell (he he he) but Hades pulls them off because you just know that deep down he has a heart and cares. He’s also talented in the dirty talk so he was a hero who fits my favorite list perfectly.

I loved Persephone's feistiness and Hades’ dry sarcasm. The sex scenes were not only explicit and scorching but also well balanced with the romance and plot. The romance was build up more gradually than the sexual attraction but I liked this build-up a lot.

An honorable mention has to go to Cerberus, Hades’ companion hellhound and then especially Bob…I seriously still crack up when I think of the dialogues with Bob. He stole the show and I hope that if Alisha Rai writes more in this world and we catch another glimpse of Hades and Persephone, Cerberus will make another appearance too. If I had a favorites list for secondary characters he would definitely be on it.

As always I love Alisha Rai’s fluent and fast-paced writing as the humorous undertone is invariably incorporated in it. Though my preference goes out to her contemporary work I also enjoyed this second paranormal romance of hers I’ve read. It's short and sweet and I loved how she interpreted the myth of Hades and Persephone. She took some creative liberty and I really liked how she adapted the myth!

HOT AS HADES is everything the title promises: a quick and hot read that is a must-read for readers who love the mythology and romance combination.

Favorite Quotes:
Her little stubborn chin lifted in an annoyingly regal manner, as if she was the one in the throne and not naked and subdued in his arms. “Release me, or suffer.”
“Suffer what?”
“Suffer…my wrath.”
“Aren’t you cute.”

Pretty and stupid, she tsked. They always went hand in hand, it seemed. Though Hades didn’t seem quite as idiotic as Narcissus. That moron regularly had to be rescued from lakes when he tried to make out with his own reflection.

He was going to die of blue balls before Zeus got this female out of here. He should have materialized some nuns’ habits for her.

“You talk to my lady in that tone again, I’ll rip into your cloud and shove your lightning bolt up your ass. Do you understand?”
Persephone bit her lip to keep from laughing, particularly when Zeus cleared his throat and muttered a very indistinct, “Fine.”

QuickScore-Review: LEAVE NO TRACE by Cindy Gerard

2011-10-09T10:00:00.009+02:00

Note from Reviewer: There is no specific blurb for the individual stories so I’ve included a small summary paragraph in the verdict. This is the blurb of the Anthology:

THESE HEROES ARE 100 PERCENT RAW, DANGEROUS, AND... UNDENIABLY SEXY.
New York Times bestselling authors Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love and Cindy Gerard and rising romance star Laura Griffin mix seduction and suspense in three irresistible romantic adventures.

From sultry international jungles to the rugged terrain of the American southwest, join the larger-than-life, scorching-hot alpha heroes of the Bureau of American Defense, Black Ops Inc., and the U.S. Navy SEALs for the pulse-pounding, heart-racing, toe-curling excitement. They’re cool under pressure, steamy under the sheets, and when the enemy strikes, there’s not a lethal mission these gorgeous men can’t handle...

Title: LEAVE NO TRACE (found in Anthology DEADLY PROMISES)
Author: Cindy Gerard
Series: Black Ops Inc, book 5.5
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Pocket Books
Year of release: 2010, September 28
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Bought via The BookDepository

First line:
It had become too much about the scotch, Cav admitted with brutal honesty.

QuickScore-Verdict:
This story opens with David 'Cav' Cavanaugh on the verge of leaving the CIA, literally on the night before he's going to give notice. His former partner Wyatt Savage calls in his help to find Wyatt's family friend Carrie Granger who's gone missing in Myanmar. The novella tells the story of this rescue mission

LEAVE NO TRACE is a nice addition to the series with two earlier minor secondary characters as the main couple. Cindy Gerard's trade-mark action-packed and fast-paced writing style shines through on every page. Though the characterization, romance and emotional intensity had to give way to the plot/suspense it was a good read.

Favorite Quotes:
“Why is it that every time the phone rings and I hear your voice, I feel a knee-jerk reaction to say ‘wrong number’ and hang the hell up?”
“I need your help.”
“Ah. That would be the reason.” (David and Wyatt)

“Sorry,” he gritted out again and tried to shift some of his weight off her while reaching between them and making a careful adjustment to his package.
Bad move.
Very bad move.
The warm naked flesh of her belly pressed against the back of his forearm. The heat of her mons and the sweet cleft between her parted thighs cradled the back of his hand. With only the most minor of adjustment he could be there. Right there. Inside her. And his stupid dick was totally on board with the idea.

“So be warned, Carrie Granger. The next time I kiss you, you’re going to end up naked and flat on your back, and it’s going to take an army to keep me from making certain you never feel the need to say sorry again.”

QuickScore-Review: A KISS FOR LUCK by Kele Moon

2011-10-08T10:00:00.000+02:00

Dr. Clara Evans’ life has taken a turn for the worse. With a failed marriage behind her, Clara has only a bottle of wine and a romance novel for company on New Year’s Eve while waiting for the dreadful year to end.

Her lonely celebration is disrupted when her best friend Jackson Philips shows up and she couldn’t be more delighted. Tall, muscular and handsome, what’s not to love about the bighearted firefighter?

It’s not until she steals a desperately needed kiss for luck at midnight that secret desires and hidden heartaches rise to the surface, igniting an inferno of passion that burns hot enough to overwhelm even the most seasoned firefighter.

Title: A KISS FOR LUCK
Author: Kele Moon
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Year of release: 2011, January 5
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Jasmine Jade eBookstore

First line:
“Firefighters are the hottest.”

Memorable Scenes:
-hallway table scene > can I say hot?! Red-hot!
- epilogue > loved this perfect ending!

QuickScore-Verdict:
A KISS FOR LUCK is a friends-to-lovers novella that gave me a great first taste of Kele Moon's writing and it definitely makes me crave more. Granted, there were a few eyebrow-raising moments (to do with Clara's marriage) but they were all obliterated by the excellent writing and the scorching sex scene(s) that were wrought with emotions.

And with a vocal hero named Jackson, Kele Moon had this one in the bag from the moment I started reading the first page and I was sad to come to the end as I could've kept on reading about Jackson and Clara forever!

Favorite Quotes:
She was breathless, stunned and overwhelmed with the rush of longing invading her senses, making her blind to everything but the need for more of him. If he could do this to her with one kiss she would never have to fake anything. With Jackson she would want it to last forever.

For the first time in years she felt vibrant and alive. Everywhere he touched she burned. Shivers and gooseflesh followed his caresses. Her senses where overwhelmed with him and she would have done anything to keep him there with her.

She shattered instantly, bucking against his mouth and fisting his hair tightly as her whole body shuddered in climax. She screamed from the ferocity of so much passion uncoiling at once. Pleasure ricocheted through her, filling her with tingling warmth when it finally passed. Dazed and sated, her eyes blinked open to see Jackson staring up at her in awe and surprise

He tilted his head back, closing his eyes as the hot water ran over his face and his libido raged, careless of the complexities of his now drastically altered friendship with Clara. Remembering her standing in his bedroom, wanting her again with a hunger that was all consuming, he wished he had the balls to jerk off and ease some of the tension that wasn’t subsiding despite their activities earlier.

It was Clara. She made him burn in a way that was wild and rare and he wanted to capture this feeling and keep it forever.

“Tell me. Say it. Beg for it and I’ll give it to you.”

Review: FEEL THE HEAT by Cindy Gerard

2011-10-07T08:00:00.007+02:00

A RACE FOR SURVIVAL...
Bold, blonde Defense Intelligence officer B. J. Chase isn't exactly thrilled when she's summoned from personal leave to investigate an alarming national security breach -- until the suspicious death of a government official blows her covert mission sky-high.

TURNS INTO A PULSE-POUNDING ADVENTURE...
Gorgeous Black Ops bad boy Raphael Mendoza always feared his family's dark history would haunt him. But he never expected it might hold the key to dismantling a rogue weapons system. Now with cool B. J. Chase posing as his hot babe fiancée, he returns to his uncle in Colombia to convince him he can be trusted with the family's dirtiest business secrets.

...AND IGNITES A PASSIONATE FIRE.
Carrying out a deception among ruthless killers brings Rafe and B.J. too close to ignore the smoldering heat between them. Now, they must work together as the closest of partners as the countdown to international catastrophe closes in....

Title: FEEL THE HEAT
Author: Cindy Gerard
Series: Black Ops Inc, book 4
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Pocket Books
Year of release: 2009, September 23
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Bought via The BookDepository

First line:
B.J Chase had worn her black tank top and khaki shorts for too many hours to count in the Venezuelan climate, where the heat and humidity were often measured in terms of ripe, riper and for God's sake, take a shower."

Memorable Scenes:
Once again review notes with no memorable scenes written down. I’m sure this is because I read this book on vacation in June. I have very little review notes to go on as it is… I suspect I was too immersed in the story while basking in the sunshine to take the time to write extensive notes. And believe me, I am now fiercely regretting that.

B.J. Chase is headstrong, tenacious and a spitfire. She’s also sarcastic, self-reliant and sharp. She’s weary of friendships and trusting others, which made her seem cold-hearted and a tough cookie but deep down there’s vulnerability to her despite her hard-ass attitude. She has this one-of-the-guys vibe about her, which she pulls of splendidly with the BOIs.

Raphael 'Rafe' Mendoza has had a tough childhood but instead of falling into the lure of crime, he’s sided with the good guys. Rafe is smooth and charming but don’t let that fool you because he is also commanding and direct. He is intriguing because there’s so much more to him than meets the eye. And I have a soft spot for Latino heroes (especially when they start spewing the Spanish endearments *melts*) so Rafe had me at ‘hola’!

If there’s a romantic suspense author who never fails to please me with her books (especially the ones in this series) in both romance and suspense, it’s Cindy Gerard. In FEEL THE HEAT the plot takes you from Venezuela to the US, to Colombia and back to the US in the span of almost 400 pages and I loved the trip. The plot is that there’s a suspected traitor at NSA and B.J. is sent in to uncover it. When they discover Rafe's family might be an in, Rafe and B.J. go in undercover posing as an engaged couple.

In FEEL THE HEAT I was treated to not one but two romances and I loved both. The primary romance was hot and sizzling with restraint chemistry. BJ and Rafe start out on a bit of the wrong foot but the attraction between them in undeniable and inevitable. Their romance sizzled and having to play an engaged couple under the scrutinizing eyes of Rafe’s family absolutely contributed to the sensual tension between them.

I’m not going to say too much about the secondary romance because it would be too spoilery but it was sweet and endearing, a tentative testing of the waters before jumping in headfirst. I adore Cindy Gerard for giving me these lovely multiple romances in one book that never get in each other’s way but rather complement one another.

FEEL THE HEAT is another installment in this series that is was awesome to read. It had all the things I like of this series and in my romantic suspense reads: the heat, the action, the great characters, the camaraderie among the BOIs, the glimpses of the former couples, the introduction of new intriguing secondary characters and a suspense plot that was tight.

If you’re looking for something fast-paced, action-packed and sizzling hot, you can’t go wrong with this 4th installment of the BOIs.

Favorite Quotes:
This guy had the look –they all did– the skills, and the “no one can touch me” attitude. And if not CIA, then a close equivalent: badasses with a license to kill, thrill and wreak havoc wherever they decided havoc needed to be wreaked.

Her scent lingered. So did the mental image of her standing where he was now standing, naked under the shower spray with clouds of steam fogging up the small room.
Het got hard just thinking about it. So hard that he ached. Hard. For an ice princess who would rather have busted his balls than, well, than do other, much more pleasurable things involving those same balls.

When he backed her up against the wall and pressed his hips deeper into her she made a sound in her throat that damn near buckled his knees.
It was a sound of total submission, without restrictions. A sound of pleasure and invitation and of a longing so desperate and demanding it stole his breath.

“All right, cara. I’ll respect your boundaries.”
She eyed him warily. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. But so you know, when we get out of this, if we get out of this. I’m going to blow so many holes in that wall you’ve built around your heart that you’ll have no choice but to let me in.”

Since these guys never did anything halfway, they’d all shown up dressed to the nines. In camo and face black they were imposing. In jeans and T-shirts they were hot. But in white tie and black tux, the lot of them were beyond description.

Review: ALL OF YOU by Rhian Cahill

2011-10-06T08:00:00.003+02:00

Claire Jones never dreamed the fantasies she’d been having about the young guy next door would ever become reality but after a push from her best friend and one encounter involving dirty laundry she’s getting more reality than one woman should be allowed. But with reality comes emotion and Claire finds herself falling deeper and deeper under Ryan’s spell.

Ryan Doherty wants in Claire’s pants but he soon discovers hot sex isn’t all he’s after. She makes him happy in a way nothing and no one else ever has and if he has to use their amazing chemistry to stay in her life he will. Because having more of Claire isn’t an option. It’s the only choice.

Can Ryan and Claire bridge the age gap to find the love of a life time or will what others think destroy the best thing either of them has ever found?

Title: ALL OF YOU
Author: Rhian Cahill
Series: Only You, book 1
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Noble Romance Publishing
Year of release: 2011, September 26
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Noble Romance eBookstore

First line:
Claire Jones stared at her best friend of almost forty years and wondered when Jane had lost her mind.

Memorable Scenes:
- Ryan's self-pleasuring in the bathroom after running into Claire at the parking lot > urgent and hot!
- Claire and Ryan's first night > I needed something to cool me down...
- the scene in Ryan's courtyard after their first dinner together > I swear, like Cari Quin, RC is trying to kill me from spontaneous combustion with scenes like these

Claire Jones is a confident 41 year-old professional business woman who is has this little bit of insecurity luring within her that gives her an air of vulnerability. She’s also an over-thinker who analyzes stuff to death sometimes.

Ryan Doherty is a 29 year-old self-assured builder who owns a construction company with his brother. Ryan is giving, open, and dynamic. He is also very talkative in the bedroom and sexy as heck. Another candidate for my 2011 favorite heroes-list

The romance between Ryan and Claire starts out as an explosive but purely physical attraction and lust and this was noticeable in the first part of the book through the abundance of sex scenes. Ryan and Claire couldn’t keep their hands of each other so that made for a lot of steamy scenes. However gradually the instant lust turned into a more emotional bond and as a reader I followed the gradual transformation of lust to love.

The make-out and sex scenes Rhian Cahill writes are indescribably excellent. They're raw, explicit and in this book they have this urgency to them that gave them that little extra zing I encounter only in a few of my favorite erotic romance authors' writing. And Ryan's dirty talk was the icing on the cake and the cherry on top all rolled into one! But beware, if you don't like body parts bluntly called by their names, this book might not be for you as Rhian Cahill does not embellish, rephrase or use euphemisms. She doesn't mince matters and I love her for it.

ALL FOR YOU is very character and romance-driven. There is no side-plot or other stuff going on other than the development of the relationship between Claire and Ryan. This was also apparent in the few secondary characters the story had. There was Jane, Claire’s best friend and Brett, Ryan’s brother. I really loved the bond and banter between Claire and her best friend Jane and between Ryan and his older brother Brett. Because through those interactions you get to know them much better and it offered a nice neutralizing balance to the scorching urgent heat crackling between Claire and Ryan, adding depth to their characterization.

Oh and a nasty receptionist at the company where Claire works. Can’t remember her name and don’t want to bother looking it up because as I said, she was nasty…but also crucial to the conflict between Ryan and Claire so she deserves a mention, even if it’s a nameless one.

I loved how Rhian Cahill handled Claire's doubts and insecurities about the age difference and having a relationship with Ryan. She made didn't take the easy way out for them and created a believable conflict that was solved in an equally believable way. Other than the first few moments it wasn’t something that Claire kept on about during the story even if it formed the root for the conflict.

It's been a while since I read a Rhian Cahill book and reading ALL OF YOU made me realize how much I missed her awesome writing. She has the uncanny ability to pull me completely into her books with writing that's utterly captivating and explicitly hot with a capital H.

If you like carnal, red-hot erotic romance within the cougar trope with likable a likeable and easy to relate to heroine and a hero who will make you melt into a puddle of heat with his dirty talk, look no further because ALL OF YOU has all that and then some!

Favorite Quotes:
The air left her lungs and her words caught in her throat. The glistening flesh of a god-like, bare male chest numbed her mind and turned her body into a quivering vessel of need.

No. She'd kept contact with Ryan to a minimum. Usually because she found it hard to string a sentence together with the way he had her body exploding to life whenever he got close. Oh, who was she kidding? Just thinking about him sent her nerve endings into a frenzied bunch of sex-craving knots.

The woman had him tied in knots. She hardly gave him the time of day, but all she had to do was breathe in his direction and his dick was raring to go, his body pounding with a need that consumed his every thought. It had taken weeks for him to build up the nerve to say hello to her. But after he'd spoken those first words, Ryan started to go out of his way to run into her.

A yearning, raw and fevered, roared through Claire like a flash fire, consuming her—overwhelming her. The moans and whimpers she made were foreign to her ears, and she could only describe them as animalistic.

He was covered in sweat, and his limbs shook like a new baby foul's. Cramps stabbed his thighs, but he wasn't ready to stand yet. Any sudden movement could set off the bomb currently ticking between his legs.

"Better than good. Better than any fantasy I've ever dreamed up. The man knows what he's doing, and isn't afraid to do it." (Claire to Jane about Ryan)

"No worries, Ryan. I know how crabby you get when you aren't getting any."
Brett grinned and ducked as Ryan threw a punch at him. "Still not quick enough to get me, little brother."
[…] "Nah, just didn't want to put the old man in the hospital." Ryan grinned, the old, well-used banter between them settling his agitated nerves.
[…]"You young whippersnapper, you."
Ryan pulled free of Brett's grip and gave him a shove before stooping to pick up his headgear. "Knock it off. You're just jealous I can still pull women while they're all passing you by in favor of us younger more strapping blokes." Ryan puffed his chest out and flexed his arms.

Claire shuddered at his words. The quake vibrated through her until she thought she might collapse in a puddle of want at his feet.
"Oh, Claire I do believe we've found something that really gets you off." He leaned over her, his clothed chest resting along her back. "Want me to tell you what I'm gonna do to you?" He nipped her ear.
"Ryan." His name spilled from her lips on a plea.
He licked the shell of her ear, his breath hot on her skin. "I'm going to play with you, Claire. I'm going to use my fingers, my tongue, teeth, and I'm going to drive you wild until you scream for me."

As she rode the waves of pleasure, Claire couldn't stop the tears leaking from her eyes. It was far too late to end this easily. With one explosive climax, Ryan had shattered her soul and stolen what was left of her heart.

Requested Review: QuickScore of DOUBLE STROKES by Kat Black

2011-10-05T08:00:00.003+02:00

Just what is a good girl supposed to do, faced with the wicked temptation of not one bad boy, but two?

No matter how hard good girl, Gemma Trent, tries to run from the mistakes of her past, she can't seem to escape the memories of two hard-bodied, hot-blooded rowers, and the shameful things she let them do to her one crazy night five years ago in the college boathouse. Perhaps only by facing up to those mistakes can she prove that she’s no longer that sort of girl, and finally set herself free.

As determined as Gemma seems to be to smother the truth of her passions, Nathan Hunter and Ben Pearce—having already had her slip through their callused fingertips once—are equally committed to fanning the embers and rekindling the fire they suspect still smoulders deep inside. Now that they have her within reach again, all they have to do is convince Gemma to put her own self-imposed prejudices aside, and remind her just how good it feels to share.

Title: DOUBLE STROKES
Author: Kat Black ( I have added this link to the Author’s Blog, since there is also a YA-writing Kat Black and I assume this is not she)
Series: standalone
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing
Year of release: 2011, September 12
Format: eBook, 29 pages
Source: Received an digital copy from the author for review

First line:
In one of the bustling spectators' enclosures set up along the Thames riverbank for the annual Henley Royal Regatta, Nathan Hunter milled with a group of old university rowing club peers, reunited for finals day of the world-famous competition.

Memorable Scenes:
- as the story is extremely short I'd like to qualify it as memorable in its entirety > an ultra-quick and very hot read

QuickScore-Verdict:
From the first sentence I loved Kat Black's writing style that just flows, making this story easy to read and fast-paced. I loved the characters: Ben is playful, smooth and soothing, while Nathan is intense, impulsive and demanding. That leaves Gemma in the middle (literally) who embraces the sexual needs she has underneath her proper and good-girl shell.

DOUBLE STROKES is very short (29 pages), fast and intense. I hope there will be more on these three characters as this short has really whetted my appetite. The ménage scene is hot and well-written and I cant wait to see what Kat Black can do with a bigger page-count and a meatier storyline!

Favorite Quotes:
Always more careful to conceal his emotions than his friend, Nate gave every impression of being engrossed in the reminiscences of the rowdy group. But beneath the smiles and banter, his real focus lay with Ben's every tic and twitch.
That's how he knew the precise moment the blond man's body tensed up, attention snagging on something over Nate's left shoulder. In response, Nate felt his own muscles snap taut, breath stilling with anticipation.

"If we race in and pounce on her like a pair of slavering beasts, all it's likely to do is make her fling up her defenses and start worrying about her reputation all over again–" Ben paused to study Nate's face before raising a wry brow. "And that's assuming one look at you doesn't send her running for cover first. You're projecting the wrong side of caveman right now, mate."

The only reason she'd agreed to come here was so she could finally face up to and bury the mistakes of the past. To prove to herself she'd moved on, grown out of those shameful, confused impulses–matured into someone normal.
Except it was blatantly obvious she'd done no such thing, not when a single look from the dynamic duo was all it took to turn her nipples hard and make her knickers damp.

Nate's voice was a satin-covered dagger, cutting right through her defenses and stabbing into the secret heart of her need. He was right, she had wanted more.

Reduced to nothing more than a quivering bundle, Gemma clung to Ben, letting the movement of his thrusts become her own. Clasping a big palm around her nape, he held her ear to his mouth, pouring a sensual stream of words into it, making her insides quiver.

ARC-Review: BAD KITTY by Cari Quinn

2011-10-04T08:00:00.004+02:00

Reformed bad girl Nikki Carson has spent the past year trying to forget her boss's Halloween party and the unbelievable sex she had with her boss's hot twin, Patrick Nolan. Patrick hasn't mentioned that night since, much to Nikki's endless disappointment.

Years of following in the wake of his womanizing brother cause Patrick to wonder if Nikki even knows which twin she slept with. He can't believe she could possibly prefer him over her slick, polished boss. That doesn't mean he's been able to stop fantasizing about taking her again. Against the wall. On the floor. Everywhere.

It's Halloween again, and trick or treat takes on a whole new meaning when Nikki and Patrick go for round two. Especially since Nikki's come prepared with a Domme kitty costume meant to drive Patrick wild. And this kitty's ready to show her claws if she doesn't get what she wants...

Title: BAD KITTY
Author: Cari Quinn
Series: standalone (for now)
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Year of release: 2011, October 7
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC from the author for review

First line:
Nikki Carson sucked in a deep breath and swallowed more witches’ brew.

Memorable Scenes:
- the first chapter > yowza!
- the scene in Nikki's bedroom after second Halloween party > yowza doesn't even come close!

Nicole 'Nikki' Carson is an assistant at a real estate agency. The former party-girl has decided she has to be more responsible and start looking at life more seriously. She’s candid, patient and tries to be cool-headed. But she’s also scatterbrained and passionate.

Patrick Nolan is a construction worker. He’s the twin brother of Nikki’s boss. Patrick is down-to-earth and laid-back but once in the bedroom he can transform into a decisive, sexy man who knows exactly how to drive a woman crazy with pleasure.

The first chapter definitely set the sizzling hot tone for a romance that made the pages combust with heat. But it was more than that, the way it was set up was once again sublime. And Cari never fails to add emotion to her sexy. Though the length of the novella doesn’t leave much room for in-depth back-stories and characterization, she managed to turn this novella into more than a string of sex scenes tied together with a conflict that needs resolving.

Like another erotic romance I read recently this story is character and romance-driven so there are very few secondary characters and there are no subplots thrown in. I appreciated this a lot because the story of Nikki and Patrick is more than enough to fill the pages. The secondary characters that were in the story were very intriguing though. I loved Patrick as the hero for Nikki but I was definitely intrigued by East(on), Patrick’s twin. He caught my attention the minute he appeared in the book and I hope we get to enjoy his story too! I also adored Julie, Nikki’s best friend and a costume store owner. She’s vivacious and direct and the hints at the end of the story make me want to read more about her and a certain someone (Oh how I love to be cryptic in order to avoid spoilers…)

I seriously can't say anything about Cari Quinn's writing that wouldn't be repetitive if you've read my other reviews of her books so bear with me if you have...She writes steamy scenes like nobody’s business and manages to incorporate emotions in them that lifts them to an even higher level. This is a good thing, but it’s also lethal because I’m sure there will come a day that I will give up the ghost reading one of her stories. The heat is beyond scorching.
Her characterization is just as awesome and she has a knack for pairing up people who at first glance may not be compatible but fit so well together. BAD KITTY was no exception.

BAD KITTY is a sizzling hot character-driven novella delivered through clean-cut and masterful writing. The sex is lustful, carnal and emotional all rolled into one. In short: A satisfying, quick and scorching read and I expected nothing less from Cari Quinn!

Favorite Quotes:
Patrick was the living embodiment of naughty. He sweat for a living—he worked on houses while his slick, polished brother sold them—and his swagger served as a convincing argument that he knew how to make a woman sweat when the lights were off, too.

He stroked her ass, caressed her breasts, kissed her neck. Even in this graceless, frenetic situation, he still acted tenderly now and then, as if he couldn’t make up his mind whether he wanted to savor her or devour her whole.

Jules rolled her eyes. “You could try planning ahead for a change, Nik. Flying by the seat of your skirt gets old when you’re pressing thirty and—”
“I’m twenty-eight. And you may not live to thirty if you insinuate otherwise.”

He should’ve made sure she knew it was him at the time. That would’ve been the honorable thing to do. But her little heart-shaped ass twitching in satin hot pants as part of her genie costume had undone any honor he’d had left in him.

He didn’t want everyone to know East wasn’t chaperoning his own shindig, but at least Nikki might hear which brother she was about to bed. Or couch. Or wall.

“Tell me. Tell me what you would do.” His voice roughened and the fingers on her arm tensed, digging in.
“First I would’ve started here.” She tapped her mouth, making him think of all sorts of naughty and delicious things. “Then I would’ve moved down to here,” she trailed her fingertips over her breasts lightly, barely making contact, “before landing here,” her palm coasted over her mound, “and then ending up here.” She smacked her ass softly, making his blood roar in his veins and his erection strain for relief.

“You like caramel apples?” she managed.
“Never tried them. But caramel nipples suit me just fine.”

Pleasure gathered in the pit of her belly and her skin burned from within, but she still wanted to laugh. Wanted to enjoy every minute she had with him.

ARC-Review: NIGHT MOVES by Stephanie Tyler

2011-10-03T08:00:00.008+02:00

Anything can happen under the cover of darkness.

Kell Roberts has walked the thin line between life and death for so long that it now feels like home. He is a soldier, a survivor, and a loner. Still, Kell cannot turn his back on the beautiful woman caught in his firefight against the drug lords of Mexico. She says her name is Teddie, but Kell senses there’s much more to her story—and it’s about to pull him into a mission he didn’t sign on for: keeping her alive.

Teddie Lassiter knows this lean, mean rescuer just saved her life, but the steel glint behind those soft gray eyes seem to be hiding something deep. The men after Teddie are deadly, but the man who holds her life in his hands and tempts her with his wicked touch is even more dangerous. He could make her dream about living and loving again. And if they can survive, maybe, just maybe, they can stop fighting the world and each other—and simply surrender.

Title: NIGHT MOVES
Author: Stephanie Tyler
Series: Shadow Force, book 4
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Bantam Dell
Year of release: 2011, October 4
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Received a digital ARC from author for review

First line:
Kell Roberts had been at the foster home in Dillingham, Alaska, for three months, four days and sixteen hours and had managed to lie his way through
every damned minute when the blond kid arrived with a deep Southern drawl, a bag Kell would later discover contained barely anything and an attitude as big as the hills, all to share Kell’s room.

Memorable Scenes:
- Teddie aiming a gun at Kell and pulling the trigger > there's a nice twist but this scene made me instantly like Teddie.
- The pat-down by Kell searching for tracking devices on Teddie's underwear > I was disappointed when Reid interrupted

Theodora 'Teddie' Lassiter is a US diplomat's daughter who has lost her entire family and is forced into witness protection. She used to be a photographer/videographer. She’s strong-willed and determined to get vengeance on the ones responsible for her family’s murders

Kell Roberts is ex-Delta turned private contractor. He’s gruff and has learned early in life that the only one he can trust and depend on is himself. Guilt has been chipping away at him, causing him to turn away from his best friend, whom he almost lost in an ambush attack on his former team and also initially from the woman who turns out to be his anchor and love of his life.

The romance between Teddie and Kell really worked for me. It wasn't the wham! instant attraction kinda romance but it was built up slowly and gradually. I thought it was perfectly balanced with the suspense storylines. I loved the prologue that told the story of how Kell and Reid met in a foster home and became friends for life, as Reid played a major part in Kell’s life and in his decisions, also where they concerned Teddie.

Reading a Stephanie Tyler RS is like coming home for me. I'm treated to familiar elements like the multiple POVs, though I think she kept it pretty focused on just a few POVs this time. There’s of course the secondary romance and last but not least the intricate suspense storylines that are weaved together effortlessly. But it's never repetitive or boring.

There were quite some storylines in NIGHT MOVES, both romance wise and suspense wise but they all worked well together. Action and suspense from the get-go had me intrigued and holding my breath. As with all her other romantic suspense novels Stephanie Tyler managed to juggle and balance the various plotlines, weaving them together to form an intricate whole. No loose ends left untied and all the connections subtly intertwined.

The build-up towards the climactic end was well done, however I was a little disappointed in the conclusion and how they dealt with the mastermind villain. It seemed to me like it was a bit too easy and I missed a certain confrontation between 2 of the secondary characters, a confrontation that would have made it even more nail-biting than it already was and which in my eyes would have made sense in the way the plot was set up.

Also the secondary romance wasn’t as fleshed out as I’m used to by now from Stephanie Tyler. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the secondary romance, I just felt it wasn’t wrapped up completely and knowing this is the last in the series I feel I will not see that HEA in future books. Still I think that this won’t bother readers who want the focus solely on the main couple. I just wanted more for this secondary couple than I got because I was spoiled with some awesome secondary romances in the other books of both the Stephanie Tyler romantic suspense series I’ve read.

Despite these minor issues I had with NIGHT MOVES Stephanie Tyler's writing never fails to reel me in. It's raw, unembellished and straightforward, actually it’s kind of like her heroes. I am sad to see end of this series with this last book. I know Stephanie Tyler is going paranormal at the beginning of next year but I truly hope she’ll also be back with new military romance because those are the books that make me come back to her time and time again.

Favorite Quotes:
"Why tell me all this?" he asked her finally. She swallowed, hard, looked like she wanted to pull away from his grip, but she didn't. "You're an American mercenary too—I figure, if you were going to kill me, you already would have. The worst you can do is turn me over to the other men . . . and I'll find a way to kill you or myself before I let that happen."

As scared as she was of living, she was far more scared of dying.

She looked so f#cking sad and he wanted to hug her. Except she'd probably stab him and run or something, so he stayed put and listened.

She tried to close her legs, didn't want Kell to know how wet she was for him, but his hand was insistent . . .He pulled back as she kept her thighs closed. "You wet for me, baby? I can tell even if you don't let me touch. But you're going to let me, right?"

She wanted to reach across the console for his hand, but she didn't. They'd already shared intimacies, and yet she'd never felt shyer around him. Like nervous butterflies were in her stomach and the something that had broken inside of her so long ago was well on its way to being repaired.

He hung up on Dylan's curses, which was a shame, since he always managed to learn a few new ones from him—and in varied languages as well— (Reid)

"I'm too busy for more of your crap."
"So take me in. Interrogate me."
She pictured him all bound up, and if that happened, she would not be talking. Well, no more than saying his name repeatedly and very loudly. (Grier and Reid)

He should tell her there was nothing beautiful about him, but he needed it to be true, didn't want her to see him as a danger . . . didn't want her to see the ugliness he'd been born with on the inside.

QuickScore-Review: JACK (Red, Hot & Blue #2) by Cat Johnson

2011-10-02T10:00:00.005+02:00

The best way to heal a broken heart is to jump right back on the horse. So to speak-

After watching the girl he-s crushed on for years fall for his best friend, the last thing special operative Jack Gordon wants is a vacation. If cooling his heels doesn't drive him crazy, doing it under his family's scrutiny will.
But once he's back home things get more than a little interesting. The new farm hand is cute, sexy-and his instincts tell him she's got something to hide. Luckily, he's got the skills and the backup to find out what.

Gordon Equine is the perfect place for Niccolina Campolini. The Gordons pay in room, board and cash. And they don't ask questions. Perfect for a girl on the run-until Jack shows up. Sexy as hell and far too inquisitive, Jack strikes sparks and suspicions that put both her body and her heart in danger.
Jack knows better than to trust a woman with as many shadows as Nicki, but the heat waves of their attraction are messing with his focus. And when her secrets catch up with her, he's not sure if he's protecting her from something, or protecting his family from her.

Warning: This book contains extremely stupid gangsters bearing guns, a bored team of special operatives looking for some action, and one Southern gentleman guaranteed to charm your panties off.

This book has been previously published and has been revised from its original release.

Title: JACK
Author: Cat Johnson
Series: Red, Hot & Blue, book 2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2010, August 31
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Samhain eBookstore

First line:
Jack Gordon leaned in, about to close the deal on what he hoped would be a mind-erasing kiss, because he could really stand to erase some memories right about now.

Memorable Scenes:
No notes on any memorable scenes, so again I use the disclaimer that either there were none or I just forgot to write them down

QuickScore-Verdict:
After the promising start with TREY my expectations for JACK were high. And I was sorry to find out they just were too high, because they unfortunately weren’t completely met. I loved Jack as a character. He was just so adorably cute and charming and though he’s a straight shooter and speaks his mind he remains polite and courteous. And he blushes, how cute is that ;)

However, I'm sad to say JACK fell a bit short. Literally, as the page-count was considerably less than TREY’s but also plot and romance-wise it didn't reach the level of the first installment of this series.

Favorite Quotes:
"(...)The only thing you can do is try to live the life God gives you to the fullest with no regrets.” (Jack to Carly)

The accents from the five boroughs of New York City and Long Island made her cringe. But a southern man could practically make a girl’s panties fall right off just by talking to her.

Jack. His sexy, low voice washing over her body. His thick southern drawl that almost seemed to cling to her like molasses.

QuickScore-Review: TREY (Red, Hot & Blue #1) by Cat Johnson

2011-10-01T10:00:00.007+02:00

They can't deny the heat-it's the only thing keeping them alive.

A distracted soldier is a dead solder. That's special operative Trey Williams' motto. The last thing he needs in his life is a girlfriend. Problem is, the woman who's been recruited to pose as his wife on a special assignment is proving to be exactly the kind of distraction he can't afford.

Years ago, Carly McAfee turned her back not only on her military career, but the men who come with it. So why did she say yes to a mission that puts her in intimate contact with Trey, under 24/7 surveillance by both bad guys and good? One slip, and they're both dead. It's not long, though, before her body betrays her, followed closely by her heart.

With a terrorist arms deal going down and missing teammate's life on the line, Carly and Trey must throw caution to the wind in the scorching-hot performance of their lives-and try not to lose their hearts and minds in the process.

Warning: Contains bad men with big guns and video cameras, and an unmarried couple who need to get naked and get busy acting very married to save both their country and their lives.

This book has been previously published and has been revised and expanded from its original release.

Title: TREY
Author: Cat Johnson
Series: Red, Hot & Blue, book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2010, April 20
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Samhain eBookstore

First line:
He waited, crouching in the reeds.

Memorable Scenes:
- scene where Trey picks up drunk Jack at Carly's bar > Trey is adorably cute in his jealousy
- scene where Jack realizes the deal between Trey & Carly > even though Jack was cute and charming at some point he needed a reality-check where Carly was concerned and this is where he got it

QuickScore-Verdict:
I really like Cat Johnson's writing. It reads very easily, has subtle humor and is steamy. She also has the military stuff down really well. However, I felt the plot was brushed over a little bit. I was expecting more suspense and plot-wise and it was a bit of a cold shower how the suspense was resolved. The pace was good as in it kept moving forward without unnecessary information dumps yet outlining the plot clearly and thoroughly. But the balance in the pace is a bit off as it starts slow and has a rushed ending

TREY was a great way to get familiar with Cat Johnson's writing and I liked it a lot. I'm definitely going to read more of her books, starting with Jack's story because the guy deserves a HEA of his own and a woman to unleash all that southern charm on.

Favorite Quotes:
She was a strange cocktail of simplicity mixed with attitude, shaken with killer good looks.

"We were pretending I’m not in the military. Trey, she’s a really good kisser.” That little gem of a revelation caused Trey to trip over his own feet. This ridiculously surreal situation would have been laughable if Trey weren’t so miserable. “That’s great, Jack. Thanks for telling me." Perhaps Jack would vomit in his truck next, then Trey’s evening would really be complete.

Jack. The joking, colorful Southern sidekick to the quiet but observant Trey Williams.

So they knew about her time in the service. She hoped they also knew she spent the entire duration of it behind a desk stateside. Sure, she went through basic training and yeah, she could fire a weapon. If she had one, which she didn’t so she wasn’t at all convinced that skill was going to help in this situation. She could file papers for Trey if the need arose though.

“Well, if you ask me, it’s a damn shame to throw out the whole pie just because the crust got a little burnt.” (Jack)

ARC-Review: THE TEMPTATION OF A GENTLEMAN by Jenna Petersen

2011-09-30T08:00:00.002+02:00

Noah Jordan misses the life he once led as a spy so when he's asked by his former superior to head to the countryside and investigate a potential murder, he jumps at the chance. He doesn't expect to meet Marion Hawthorne, a young woman his suspected murderer is interested in taking as his wife.

In an effort to help her... and to get closer to the fascinating lady, Noah asks for her help in his investigation. But as they grow closer, their desire grows and suddenly Noah has a harder and harder time remembering any duty, any promise or any future he ever imagined without her.

Title: THE TEMPTATION OF A GENTLEMAN
Author: Jenna Petersen
Series: The Jordans, book 2
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Year of release: 2011, September 26
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC from the author for review

First line:
"Get your mind out of the game and into the parlor, Woodbury," Noah Jordan admonished himself as he paced the sitting room of the Ives family.

Memorable Scenes:
- the scene where Noah tells Marion he's a spy > awesome! Both Marion's reaction to it and Noah’s shock at that reaction.
- Marion's escape > breathtaking
- The reunion scene > can't divulge what reunion for spoiler reasons but it was heartbreaking and moving

Marion Hawthorne is a merchant's daughter. She’s a real spitfire, direct, outspoken and spontaneous. She’s also perceptive, vivacious and bold. The life she’s led hasn’t been easy and though her father belittles her and treats her like she’s a commodity she never loses her zest for life.

Noah Jordan is the new Marquis of Woodbury after his father’s demise and has a hard time filling his father’s shoes. At least, in his own eyes. He’s flirtatious and seductive yet honorable. But he’s also adventuresome, passionate and proud. Noah loves challenges and Marion definitely proves to be one.

After a year away from active duty, Noah is asked to go back to the spy business for one last assignment: solve a murder in his shire (Woodsbury). While doing that he stumbles upon Marion who is there with her father for some business. It turns out Marion's father's business is to marry her off to the murder suspect (in Noah’s case) in order to be cleared of his debt to the man.

The secondary characters in this second installment of The Jordans series is not big in numbers but they are all crucial to the plot and the romance in some way or form. I really liked the glimpse I got of Audrey and Griffin (main couple from book 1).

Every time I read a Jenna Petersen historical romance I'm amazed at the vileness of some of her secondary characters and how unlikeable they are. Mostly they are family members and in THE TEMPTATION OF A GENTLEMAN Walter Hawthorne and Josiah Lucas took the prize. They were once again proof that Jenna Petersen knows how to write her villains.

Though I didn't like Tabitha Jordan, Noah's mother, in the first book of this trilogy very much, in this book she has definitely been redeemed. A sad event has made her more tolerant and supportive towards her children and their (love-)lives and that made her so much more likeable to me. The way she advised, reprimanded and accepted was a welcome change compared to her behavior in THE SECRETS OF A LADY.

I really love Jenna Petersen's writing. She balances plot, romance and humor perfectly and once I start reading I don't want to stop as she has the uncanny talent to hook you with both plot and romance. Her characters are lively and have depth to them and she also has the emotional rollercoaster down pat.

THE TEMPTATION OF A GENTLEMAN is a captivating combination of danger and romance with a suspicious death and a potential forced marriage on the side. It was fast-paced with an excellent plot and the romance was heartfelt and though complicated there was no unnecessary drama! I utterly enjoyed this middle book of the Jordans Trilogy!

Favorite Quotes:
"Well..." She placed a fingertip on her chin as if in deep thought. "Do you promise not to molest me while you walk me home, my lord?"
He choked on his surprised laughter, but her question forced sudden, heated images to his mind that he had been fighting with desperation. Obviously this was a losing battle. He was destined to picture the lovely Marion Hawthorne in various states of undress and pleasure.

“I‘m trying to decide if you‘re being serious or if you‘re simply daft. She folded her hands on her lap. I no longer think you‘re lying, though.”
“Well, thank God for that.” With a grunt, he threw himself back into the seat. “I so enjoy being called crazy rather than a liar.”

She pursed her lips as irritation lit up in her eyes. “If you‘ll allow me to finish, I‘ll explain exactly what I did. Then you can scream and bellow like a barbarian.” (Marion to Noah)

If she had her wits, she would have been embarrassed by her wanton display, but her wits had left her the moment Noah had touched her in that secret place where she only dared to wash and not think about. All that was left was the throbbing need for him to release her from the prison he‘d locked her in with hot kisses and shocking touches.

Tabitha‘s demeanor softened. “Control is a tricky thing, Marion. We never have it, even when we think we do. And constantly striving for it only seems to put it further from reach.”

She stared up at him with brown eyes that were wide and clear and full of trust, trust in him. Even in her shaken state, her beauty and good soul were as evident as her worry and fear. And Noah realized, with the strength of a thunderbolt, that he loved her. Not loved her as a friend, but an all-consuming, earth-shaking love that rocked him to the very center of his soul. He loved her and had loved her from the very first moment she‘d stormed around the lake and given him… and his horse… a tongue-lashing.

Requested Review: DOUKAKIS'S APPRENTICE by Sarah Morgan

2011-09-29T08:00:00.002+02:00

Wanted: willing apprentice to handle indecently arrogant (but incredibly sexy) tycoon

With her family business in crisis, Polly Prince does her best to keep calm and carry on. But hard work alone can't save her London company from a takeover by the infamously ruthless Damon Doukakis…or her traitorous body from the lethal sensuality of her boss!

As his new apprentice, Polly accompanies Damon to Paris to negotiate the most challenging business deal of her life! Worse still, Polly must at all costs resist Damon in the most dangerously romantic city in the world…

Title: DOUKAKIS’S APPRENTICE
Author: Sarah Morgan
Series: 21st Century Bosses
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Books, Harlequin Presents line
Year of release: 2011, September 27
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Received an ARC from the author for review

First line:
"He's here. He's arrived. Damon Doukakis just strode into the building."

Memorable Scenes:
- all the arguments between Polly and Damon > sizzling foreplay, every one of 'em

Polly Prince (not wowed by the name but what’s in a name? The character certainly wowed me) is the executive assistant at her father’s ad agency. She’s a proficient, driven, defiant and very creative workaholic. She’s used to taking care of herself because of an absent father who'd rather chase women half his age then take care of his daughter. When her father’s latest conquest leads to the ad agency taken over by Damon Doukakis, Polly grabs the chance to show what’s she’s worth to the company.

Damon Doukakis is the billionaire media-tycoon who takes over Prince Advertising and his reasons aren’t solely business driven. He has a score to settle with the CEO, Polly’s father. Damon is quiet, calculating and protective of the people he holds dear. He’s volatile under a veneer of calm coolness and he’s ruthless both in the boardroom and outside of it.

After reading and loving A NIGHT OF SCANDAL I was thrilled that Sarah offered me another book of hers to read and my expectations were definitely met with DOUKAKIS'S APPRENTICE.

The twist created by family stuff and something too spoiler-y for me to reveal here as it would take away from the tension between Polly and Damon and the enjoyment of the story offered the base for smoldering chemistry and lots of verbal sparring between them and I loved it. I also loved you see both Damon and Polly fall under each other’s spell, despite their fight against it.

From the first page to the last I was drawn into Sarah Morgan's fast-paced and attention-grabbing writing style and the intriguing premise. This is Harlequin Presents at its best! The tension, the daughter of the enemy-trope, the setting and the emotional back-stories, it all helped turning this book into an awesome read. And the way Sarah Morgan writes kisses? Who needs a full-on sex scene when you're treated to make-out scenes of this caliber! Oh and the full-on sex scenes…they weren't too shabby either ;)

DOUKAKIS’S APPRENTICE was another awesome read! When I read a book in one sitting that says enough. I just couldn't stop reading until I was finished. Sarah Morgan has a knack for great, emotionally layered Harlequin Presents with well-rounded characters that jump off the pages.

Favorite Quotes:
Hauling his gaze away from the seductive curve of her bottom, Damon slammed the lid on that part of him that wanted to flatten her to the boardroom table and indulge in raw, mindless sex.

(Damon wonders when Polly learned to speak French)
Polly flushed. “Just kidding. I promised myself that if a gorgeous Frenchman ever whispered sweet nothings in my ear I wanted to be able to understand him.”
“If he’s whispering nothing it would probably be better not to understand him.” Damon said dryly and his words made her laugh.

The sudden darkening of his beautiful eyes told her he felt it too and rejected the unwanted chemistry as completely as she did. Perversely, that rejection didn’t hurt as much as aggravate. Her emotions spun and suddenly she wanted to press her mouth to his and kiss away the sarcasm and cynicism that flowed from him.

Caught off guard, Polly tumbled headlong into the addictive heat of his kiss, her mouth colliding with his in a fusion of intimacy that was shocking in its intensity. The exploding heat was fierce enough to fuel a nuclear reactor, the hunger so all-consuming it devoured her preconceptions about just how a kiss could feel because this kiss was like no other.

Her sweet mouth seduced his with a slow, sure gentleness that ripped away his defences and sent fire tearing through every part of him.
Balancing on the dangerous knife-edge of a new addiction, he felt his power to control his emotions and actions drain at a frightening rate. The part of his brain warning him to stop this madness right now was eclipsed by the part that reached out greedily for the fulfillment of pleasure.

Watching Damon dance was a sensual feast. Every movement made her think of sex, every glance he sent in her direction was a promise of what was to come.

“I love you.” He spoke the words softly but his eyes were full of passion and heat. “I’ve spent my whole life making sure I didn’t fall in love. Then I met you again and suddenly I didn’t have a choice.”

ARC-Review: UNCLAIMED by Courtney Milan

2011-09-28T08:00:00.003+02:00

HER ONLY HOPE FOR SURVIVAL…

Handsome, wealthy and respected, Sir Mark Turner is the most sought-after bachelor in all of London—and he's known far and wide for his irreproachable character. But behind his virtuous reputation lies a passionate nature he keeps carefully in check...until he meets the beautiful Jessica Farleigh, the woman he's waited for all his life.

IS TO RUIN THE MAN SHE LOVES…

But Jessica is a courtesan, not the genteel lady Sir Mark believes. Desperate to be free of a life she despises, she seizes her chance when Mark's enemies make her an offer she can't refuse: seduce Mark and tarnish his good name, and a princely sum will be hers. Yet as she comes to know the man she's sworn to destroy, Jessica will be forced to choose between the future she needs…and the love she knows is impossible.

Title: UNCLAIMED
Author: Courtney Milan
Series: The Turners, book 2
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: HQN Books
Year of release: 2011, September 27
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Requested an e-ARC from publisher via NetGalley

First line:
Sir Mark Turner did not look like any virgin that Jessica had ever seen before.
Memorable Scenes:
- the church picnic > wonderful scene
- the shooting party at the Tollivers > the tension and attraction between Mark and Jessica was at its high point here, on the verge of snapping
- Jessica's confession after rejecting Mark's proposal > I cried and my heart broke for both of them
- the duel > AWESOME!!
- Mark at Jessica’s parental residence > I bawled and had to read through my tears

Dire circumstances forced Jessica Farleigh to lead a courtesan’s life. A life filled with hurt and loss. This has made the Jessica a calculated survivor with a big sense of adaptability. So when her survival depends on the seduction of a man who slowly worms his way into her heart, she has some tough choices to make. I don’t know if Jessica is a heroine for everyone but I definitely liked her survivor’s mentality. She did some stupid things but still she tried to sort her way out of them. And the way she owned up to her flaws and bad decisions made her a great heroine for me.

Mark Turner is the author of a practical guide to chastity. What starts as a philosophical work he just wanted to put on paper makes him a famous and much sought after person in London. But it also puts him in the line of fire of petty, envious enemies. Mark is a clever, easy-mannered man of principles. He is gentle yet commanding and he’s tired of people seeing him as some saint who can't be tempted. His ultimate temptation comes in the form a woman out to ruin him. To me Mark was a hero in every sense of the word. He has immediately been added to my list of favorite heroes.

I utterly enjoyed the teasing and battles of will between Mark and Jessica. There were also battles of will in the previous books and I really like that Courtney Milan gives each couple a different type of dynamic, making the romances unique and fresh. I also liked the build-up of the sexual tension towards the explosive first love scene, proving that sexy doesn't have to be explicit or crass. The chemistry between Mark and Jessica is instant and though it offered every opportunity for a quick explosive tumble in the sack, I LOVED how Courtney Milan didn’t take that road.

The secondary cast is supportive in every sense of the word. They are never intrusive, yet play crucial roles in both plot and romance. There are secondary characters you’ll love instantly (Mark’s family), ones you’ll hate on the spot (Weston and the reverend) and those who you just need some time to warm up to (Nigel Parret, James Tolliver and Jessica’s father). I utterly enjoyed having the Turner brothers on the page together. The banter and brotherly dynamic were awesome but the bond between them shone through splendidly as well.

The plot revolves around Jessica trying to seduce Mark into losing his virginity (and virtue) by order of his biggest enemy and rival for a post offered to Mark and Jessica's former protector. But there's so much more going on. There's something that happened in Jessica's past (to do with her former protector) that has made her skittish of men touching her. This is revealed slowly and enticingly with small clues worked into characterization, action and dialogue. I couldn't wait to get to the bottom of it and when I did I was shocked at the cruelty of it and like Mark I wanted vengeance.

There are also Jessica’s and Mark’s back-stories, both slowly unveiled throughout the book and that’s one of the things I love about Courtney Milan’s writing: She doesn’t give you information about the characters and their motivation in one big telling-instead-of-showing info-dump but gradually incorporates the information in dialogues and the characters’ behavior and actions.

I've said it before: Courtney Milan's writing is mesmerizing magic. The pictures she paints through her writing are vivid and almost tangible. In UNCLAIMED she showed and proved this through the beautiful yet succinct descriptions, her spot-on characterizations and the sparkling dialogues. I haven’t read Milan’s first series but after the three stories that I’ve read in the Turners series I know they will be soon devoured as I’m madly in love with her writing.

UNCLAIMED is a historical romance in a league of its own. Its non-beauty makes it beautiful. Its rawness and pureness makes it gripping, its far from perfect characters makes it perfect and Courtney Milan's writing makes it unforgettable and exceptionally emotional.

Favorite Quotes:
"Mrs. Jessica Farleigh, official town disgrace. At your service."
[...]
"Sir Mark Turner," he said. "I speak with the tongues of a thousand angels. Butterflies follow me wherever I go. Birds sing when I take a breath."

In the years that followed, she'd learned that the glittering finery was a trap, that the soiree was not endless. It eroded you, piece by irrevocable piece. It made a mockery of love, and if you did not look after your heart with a ferocious care, you'd find, bit by bit, you'd traded it for silk ribbons and baubles on gold chains.

"We've already discussed my sins, Mrs. Farleigh. I am greedy. I am covetous. I am selfish. And one other thing." He leaned in. "I absolutely do not share." (Mark to Jessica)

"There is no such thing as a fallen woman—you just need to look for the man who pushed her."

Sir Mark wanted her as she was, not as he wanted her to be.

She belonged to herself again, body and soul, pleasure and heartbreak. She was every inch hers again, her body reclaimed from those long years of bitter ownership.

Hope is a fickle friend. Gorging on it was like eating too much pudding. All the sweetness would feel wonderful for a few minutes, but once the first heady rush of energy faded, it left you tired and worn through.

For one lovely second, she could believe the promise in his kiss: that this would not fade, that she would wake up to him for a thousand mornings to come. Ten thousand mornings.

"You've always been your own knight," he said, "riding to your rescue. I'm just the man who came along and saw how brightly your armor shone."

ARC-Review: QuickScore of A COWBOY'S MUSE by Beth Williamson

2011-09-27T08:00:00.003+02:00

Clio is not only the muse of history, she has virtually lived her life through books. When a lightning strike sends her through space and time, Clio finds herself in the Old West with no way of getting home and none of her powers. Relying on her book learning is not working out like she’d hoped.

Ace Nevada is an unwilling sheriff who has spent the last year trying to get out of town. When a crazy woman lands in the horse trough in front of a saloon, he finds himself strangely attracted to her. He can’t help himself from sampling her lips or her incredibly lush body.

Clio learns how to be human and Ace remembers what it is to be human. They are two halves of the same whole. Mates. When Clio’s powers return, will their love pass the test of time?

Title: A COWBOY’S MUSE
Author: Beth Williamson
Series: standalone
Genre: Historical Romance, Time-Travel, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Year of release: 2011, September 27
Format: eBook
Source: received an e-ARC from the author for review

First line:
Clio spent most of her time reading books.

Memorable Scenes:
- the opening scene where Clio finds herself flung on Earth and landing in a trough > great opening with lots of humor (and we all know who’s a sucker for humor)

QuickScore-Verdict:
Clio, goddess (and muse of History) travels to from Mt. Olympus to Earth and back in time by accident and ends up in 1875 Peyote, Texas. I really liked Ace and his straightforwardness, gruffness and brutal honesty and I loved the combination of innocence and fierceness that was Clio.

A COWBOY'S MUSE was my first time-travel/historical western/pnr (yup, a mesh-up of epic proportions) in years and though Beth Williamson's writing is definitely something I loved and I certainly want to read more of her work in a contemporary setting, there's a reason I haven't read mesh-ups like these for years: I'm not a big fan of either historical western or time-travel.

However if you love these types of stories don't hesitate to get it and read it because in the short span of 50 pages Williamson delivered a lovely, nicely wrapped up story that had great characters, had lots of humor and was sizzling hot to boot!

Favorite Quotes:
"Somebody get her a towel or something," a deep voice said. "For Chrissakes, stop staring, Billy! Ain't you ever seen a woman in a purple peek-a-boo before?"
"Not like that, Ace. I was hoping to get a look at her–" answered another voice, this one a bit whiny.
"Shut up and get back inside that damn saloon before I shoot you, you stupid cowpoke."

Maybelle swept out onto the porch. Shit. "Ace Nevada! Get your hands offa that girl." Ace pushed Clio off his lap back onto the step where she landed with a thump.
"She kissed me, Maybelle."
Maybelle snorted. "And I'm the Queen of England. Clio! Get yourself back in this house!"
Clio jumped up and darted into the house. He waited for the rest of it.
Maybelle smacked him across the back of his head and ended his waiting.
"Leave that girl alone, Ace. She ain't quite right in the head and she don't need a smooth-talker like you ruffling her drawers." With one last smack, Maybelle went into the house behind his goddess.

There were six men in the room, all ogling, staring at, pawing and flirting with Clio! My woman. My goddess. Some unused instinct buried deep inside his soul howled and clawed its way up out of the darkness. As he watched in disbelief, Clio laughed and touched, touched, the hand of the man to her left.
The man who would soon only have one hand. "What in the hell is going on in here?" he thundered.

ARC-Review: BAD BOYS DO by Victoria Dahl

2011-09-26T08:00:00.005+02:00

Olivia Bishop is no fun. That's what her ex-husband said. And that's what her smart bob and glasses imply. So with her trademark determination, Olivia sets out to remake her life. She's going to spend time with her girlfriends and not throw it all away for some man. But when an outing with her book club leads her to a brewery taproom, the dark-haired beauty realizes that trouble—in the form of sexy Jamie Donovan—may be too tempting to avoid.

Jamie Donovan doesn't mean to be bad. Sure, the wild streak in his wicked green eyes has lured the ladies before. Now it's time to grow up. He's even ready for a serious romance. But how can that be when Olivia, the only right woman he has ever met, already has him pegged as wrong?

Title: BAD BOYS DO
Author: Victoria Dahl
Series: Donovan Brothers Brewery, book 2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: HQN Books
Year of release: 2011, September 27
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Requested e-ARC from publisher via NetGalley

First line:
This wasn't a book club; this was a manhunt.

Memorable Scenes:
-Hot tub scene > sweet and hot
- Gwen's jaw drops to the floor scene > so funny
- the mirror scene > smokin' hot
- phone call from Olivia's mom > she was memorable in the sense that I wanted to smack the condescension right out of her!
- the scene where Jamie finally gives Eric a piece if his mind > made me teary-eyed
- Jamie decking Victor > I so wanted to do that myself

Olivia Bishop is a 35 year-old teacher who has decided she is going to take her life in her own hands after living under her ex-husbands thumb, wishes and whims. She’s a planner and a list-maker (hmm, that sounds familiar), proper and prim and competent and calm. She also has difficulty forming friendships.

Jamie Donovan is a 29 year-old bartender and part owner of the Donovan Brewery. He’s a persistent stickler, charming and sweet. But he also has guilt over his past behavior eating away at him. Though Jamie has this aura of being the black sheep of the family, the bad boy with no sense of responsibility, I think this image is more in his mind (and amplified by his older brother Eric’s behavior towards him and regard of him) than that he really is.

Nonetheless, he decides to show his family he's capable of taking things serious and starts following courses on food and beverage management at college so he has a foundation for his plan to turn the Donovan Brewery tasting room into a pub that serves simple meals. Jamie strikes a deal with Olivia. He helps her loosen up and have some fun and she advices him on his plans for the tasting room. I loved how Olivia thought she and Jamie were so different, but deep down with all the superficial layers stripped off they weren't all that different.

I really liked Jamie. He exceeded the expectations I had of him after reading the first book. But I loved Olivia too. At first her hang-ups over the age-difference annoyed me a little but because she stopped making those remarks pretty soon into the story I really warmed up to her fast. I recognized quite a few things from myself in Olivia, which made it easy to relate to her. I think one of the reasons I really liked this book was that certain things about Olivia just struck home with me and I always love books or characters that do that.

This second book of the trilogy was much more to my liking than the first book. For one I liked the romance in this book better because it was the romance that was the centre point of the book. The chemistry and dynamics between Jamie and Olivia were awesomely done and I was happy to see there is no suspense plot to distract from the lovely romance. There are still things going on however but they all fit within the romance-driven storyline and complement it rather than detract from it.

I don’t know what it is with this trilogy but at the beginning of this book I again missed Victoria Dahl's trademark humor. I missed it a lot in Tessa's story and though it got way better a bit further into BAD BOYS DO and my faith in Victoria Dahl's contemporary magic was most certainly restored, I'm a little sad that the humorous note to her writing in this trilogy doesn’t seem to reach the level of her Tumble Creek books.

However, what I missed in humor was more than made up for by emotions. Especially the second half of the book was pretty emotional. Not only did the tension between the siblings (more importantly Eric and Jamie) get kicked up a good notch but also the escalation of the conflict that was brewing between Olivia and Jamie reached its highpoint.

I really hope Eric gets a taste of his own medicine in his book because in these two first books he was a real ass (no other way to put it), especially to Jamie and I couldn't figure out why. There were moments I strongly disliked Eric in this book...but he did some good groveling so in the end so he’s tentatively starting to squirm his way back in my good graces. Someone who will never be redeemed in my eyes is a-hole Victor, Olivia’s ex-husband…Man I wanted to smack that guy right out of this book! But ah well, if I could’ve done that, there wouldn’t have been much of story, would there?

BAD BOYS DO is a cute and sweet character and romance-driven contemporary romance that I really enjoyed because of the trope, the romance and the great characters. After a (for me) rocky start, Victoria Dahl has completely reeled me completely back into this trilogy with this great read and I’m now anxiously eyeing my e-Galley of REAL MEN WILL and can’t wait to see how Eric will get his due.

Favorite Quotes:
Now that the smile was directed at her, Olivia found herself mute. Her lips parted. Nothing came out.
"This is Olivia," Gwen volunteered.
"Hello, Olivia."
Good Lord. How did he make the few syllables of her name sound like a kiss. A deep, slow kiss. Olivia actually shivered.

Boy, she was regretting that generously padded bra now. False advertising and potential daylight nudity did not mix.

"Please tell me he calls you Ms. Bishop while he licks you like a lollipop." (Gwen to Olivia)

He felt strange. Not himself. Not charming and easy and smooth, but mindless and rough. He wanted to find everything she'd never done, just so he could be the one first. He wanted to take her so thoroughly that she'd have no inclination to move on to a third lover, or a fourth.

She didn't know what this grief was. She couldn't love him, not so quickly. She couldn't feel betrayed; he'd never promised her anything. So what was this awful ache?

He hadn't taken anything, because Olivia had given herself, and there was power in that. She was going to take that power and turn it into something amazing. She was going to emerge from this smarter and stronger. But first she was going to cry like a baby and let herself mourn what she never had.

QuickScore-Review: UNSTOPPABLE by Laura Griffin

2011-09-25T10:00:00.004+02:00

UNSTOPPABLE
Forensic anthropologist Kelsey Quinn goes to a remote Texas border region to dig up ancient bones, but ends up unearthing a deadly secret. When Kelsey’s discovery jeopardizes not just her dig, but her life, she turns to US Navy SEAL Gage Brewer, who may be the only person brave enough—and lethal enough—to help.

Title: UNSTOPPABLE (found in Anthology DEADLY PROMISES)
Author: Laura Griffin
Series: Tracers, book 2.5
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Pocket Books
Year of release: 2010, September 28
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Bought via The BookDepository

First line:
Sometimes they went in with a flash and crash, but Lieutenant Gage Brewer always preferred stealth.

QuickScore-Verdict:
UNSTOPPABLE reminded me of the TV show Bones, with Kelsey being a forensic anthropologist and big hunky Gage sent to protect her. I loved Kelsey and Gage and their romance. The suspense plot was perfect for the length of the story and though it only partially wrapped up, I am sure it will be completely wrapped up in Mia's story (UNFORGIVABLE) who had a small but crucial part in this one.

As usual Griffin writes awesome suspense with subtle romance and the short length of this novella didn't bother me at all. It was well-rounded and well-written and I can't wait to read the next installment in the Tracers series.

Favorite Quotes:
Her pulse skipped as the feel of him, the smell of him permeated her brain. A jolt of raw sexual awareness zinged through her, and she scrambled away.

Gage needed a woman. Soon. Didn’t it figure that the one woman to stir his interest after months and months of celibacy would be the niece of his CO, a woman completely off-limits for some quick-and-dirty fun?

QuickScore-Review: SHE LIKES HIM BAD by Scarlett Scott

2011-09-24T10:00:00.003+02:00

Emma Lee Bridges is back in her tiny hometown for the first time in years. Not even twenty-four hours after hitting the landing strip, she’s already forced to face the boy she loved and left behind.

But Jackson isn’t exactly the boy she remembers. Now the sexy owner of a successful mechanic shop, he takes one look at Emma and wants her back—permanently.

The sex between them is downright flammable, the chemistry they share as wild as ever. And this time around, Emma has to decide if she wants to run or stay for good.

Title: SHE LIKES HIM BAD
Author: Scarlett Scott
Series: standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave Publishing
Year of release: 2011, August 5
Format: eBook
Source: Bought via Jasmine Jade eBookstore

First line:
Paradise, Georgia. Emma couldn’t believe she was back after twelve years.

Memorable Scenes:
- the scene in Jackson's kitchen > wait a minute! Did my iPhone just spontaneously burst into flames?

QuickScore-Verdict:
My first encounter with Scarlett Scott's work wasn't a pretty one but that has definitely been set straight with this book. The promise I saw in her writing has definitely been fulfilled. For a novella to completely work for me it needs certain tropes: friends-to-lovers, troubled marriage, reunited love etc. This one had reunited love and therefore worked in the limits of the small page-count

The banter between hero and heroine again shone through. And Scarlett Scott knows how to crank up the heat in the sex scenes! One thing I missed was some sort of epilogue. It's not that it was needed to complete the HEA but I'm an epilogue-addict and love to see the ‘how are they doing further down the road’-scenes.

SHE LIKES HIM BAD is a short and very enjoyable novella that was written with likeable characters that were fleshed out pretty well for such a short story. Moreover the mix between humor, characterization and heat was well balanced and that's just the way I like 'em.

Favorite Quotes:
Do not, she urged her inner vixen, look at the way those blue jeans fit his lean legs. Do not notice how he’s filled out in all the right places. Or how freakin’ handsome he is as a man rather than the boy you once kissed. And above all do not look at his mouth or you’ll think about…
Too late. Her gaze dropped to those sensual lips that were quirked into a crooked grin. She remembered that grin. She remembered those kisses.

The sexual tension was back. She was incredibly aware of him. She could smell his cologne and it made her want to press her nose to his neck and inhale deeply. Maybe lick his skin.

She had only a matter of seconds to try to talk some sense into her wicked, sex-with-Jackson craving brain.

Damn. What was the protocol for morning kitchen sex? (Jackson)

When he stood, he wanted to say something intelligent. Something to make her melt. “What are you doing here?”
Shit. He raked a hand through his hair. Not exactly setting the world on fire with your charm, are you, Jackson?

She narrowed her eyes. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Enjoying Emma Lee Bridges standing half-naked on my doorstep, apologizing to me? Hell yes, I am. I thought the day would never come.”
“I’m not half-naked,” she protested.
He crossed his arms over his chest and grinned. “I’m pretty damn sure I can see your nipples right through that shirt. Lord knows I’ve been thinking about sucking them ever since I opened the door.”

“The man I am today is far more ready to be your man than the boy I was twelve years ago, Emma. Time is a beautiful thing. It makes you stronger, makes you learn.”

Review: CLAY by Cheyenne McCray

2011-09-23T08:00:00.008+02:00

Rancher Rylie Thorn loves everything about men, but she’s positively phobic about commitment. After growing up in a broken family and witnessing too many failed marriages, Rylie knows "forever" is just not in the cards for her.

Sheriff Clay Wayland has been called in to investigate a rash of crimes in the southeastern corner of Cochise County. But one night when he goes into the field to do some observation, he comes across a sensual woman who’s doing some investigating of her own. Rylie immediately sets his blood on fire and he knows he has to have her. And it isn’t long before Clay begins the job of taming this wildcat and making her his. . .for keeps.

Title: CLAY
Author: Cheyenne McCray
Series: Armed and Dangerous, book 4
Genre: Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Year of release: 2011, April 12
Format: Tradesize Paperback
Source: Bought via The BookDepository

First line:
Rylie Thorn pulled at her earlobe as she guided her battered ranch pickup into the parking lot of the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department.

Memorable Scenes:
- chapter 12 in its entirety > both in heat, plot and emotion this was a crucial and memorable chapter

Rylie Thorn is a rancher and from a broken home and dysfunctional family. She’s a wildcat and determined not to follow in her mother's doormat footsteps. She’s stubborn, take-charge and emotionally distant. Though she’s sexually uninhibited she fears intimacy and doesn't believe in love or marriage.

Clay Wayland is the County’s sheriff and his personality matches his job. He’s commanding and goes after what he wants. In this case he wants Rylie.

First sexually tinted scene between Riley and Clay was a bit weird for me (Rylie let’s a stranger – Clay fondle her to a climax outside while peeping Tom-ing her foreman having sex with 2 women) and I had to suspend disbelief to get over it and enjoy the rest of the romance. And yet I think what keeps me coming back to this series is the scorching heat of the sex scenes. In CLAY, unapologetic and in clear, straight language the hot chemistry between Rylie and Clay set the pages on fire.

The plot, which was not the strong point in this installment, revolved around truck thefts along the border. I was hoping it wasn't going to turn out as predictable as I was suspecting from early on in the book and fortunately it wasn’t too predictable but it wasn’t very thrilling either except for the showdown wrap-up scene. The suspense was just less intense than the steaminess in this book.

Cheyenne McCray's writing reels me in. I don't know what hold this series has over me but even though neither book in the series has blown me away so far, any new book released in it never lingers very long on my Mt. TBR. The minute a new release arrives I put it on the TBR shelf but it keeps calling me, enticing me to start reading it and before I know it, I've cracked the spine and started reading...This series is my crack, I tell you! I just can’t stay away from it.

CLAY is another good addition to this very addictive series. The predictability of the suspense was made up for by the scorching sexual chemistry and hot as hell sexy scenes and I'm ready for the next book in the Armed and Dangerous Series. If I may make a suggestion, NOAH would be a great contender and my pick to continue this series with.

Favorite Quotes:
The little wildcat glared at him. She didn’t spit, but she didn’t kill him either. That had to be a win. After a second or two of stripping him down with those hot eyes, she spun and marched out of the control room.

“Fair’s fair.” Rylie gave him a saucy smile, but inside she was a quivering mass of lust. Every cell in her body screamed with need for this man. Nee to have his naked form against hers, need to taste his skin, and need to see if he fit as perfectly inside as he did outside.

“I hate to break this moment, but you think you could unlock these handcuffs?”
“I don’t know.” He propped himself up on both arms and his lips quirked in a grin. “Kinda like you right where I’ve got you.”
“Oh?” Damn but he made her feel all quivery and gooey inside. “What do I have to do to convince you?”
Clay raised an eyebrow. “Of what?”
“That there’ll be hell to pay if you don’t get these things off me now.”
With a soft laugh he rolled off of her, sliding out and leaving her empty without him. “Now supposing I can’t find the key?”
Rylie glared at him. “Supposing I’m gonna kick your ass, cowboy.”

“You are so dead, Clay Wayland,” Rylie muttered as he climbed another set of stairs and she bounced against his back. “Right after I ride you like a wild bronco, I’m gonna kill you.

Review: IT'S ALWAYS BEEN YOU by Victoria Dahl

2011-09-22T08:00:00.004+02:00

ONCE SHE SLIPPED THROUGH HIS FINGERS. . .

Aidan York has spent ten years mourning the woman he once loved and lost. He's filled the void in the only way he knows—by distracting himself with wild behavior and scandalous trysts. It's a hollow existence, but it dulls the pain. Until the day he encounters a ghost: the woman he thought drowned at sea, alive and as enchanting as ever. . .

NOW HE’LL KEEP HER IN HIS ARMS. . .

When Kate Hamilton sees the man she once hoped to spend her life with, she is hit with a storm of memories and longing. But though resisting Aidan's passion proves impossible, Kate must try not to love him all over again. For her seemingly quiet London life shields a dangerous secret, one that will catch up to her the moment she lets herself fall. . .

Title: IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU
Author: Victoria Dahl
Series: York Family, book 2
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Kensington Zebra
Year of release: 2011, August 1
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Bought via The BookDepository

First line:
"Thank you, Mr. York. It's been a pleasure, sir. A pleasure."

Memorable Scenes:
- the kiss after the chess game > poignant turning point in the book
- Aidan's talk with Jude > the humorful banter that lacked throughout the rest of the book was definitely present in this scene

Kate Hamilton (Katie Tremont - Katherine Gallow, yes Kate has quite some aliases) is the heroine of this second installment in the York Family series. Kate's ordeal has changed her from happy and vivacious to quiet and on guard and definitely wary of men.

The hero is Aidan York, the middle York sibling. Aidan is still grieving the loss of the love of his life and he’s a bit cynical. Honestly I was expecting a more tortured hero in Aidan and in the beginning he seemed to be headed that way but from the moment Kate re-enters his world it felt like he turned into this lovesick puppy and his character lost a bit of its strength.

This book contains a complicated yet beautiful and poignant romance. Aidan was led to believe Kate had drowned at sea while Kate married another man and left for the Far East thinking Aidan had abandoned her. Something tragic happened to send her back to England but she's trying to fend for herself and has not contacted her family. Though some may frown upon Kate for some of the choices she makes, I understood her motivation. However I did think she should've told Aidan sooner about her problem.

The love scenes were beautifully written and quite steamy. They were emotional and made the romance part stand out in the book. The mystery of what happened to Kate in Ceylon was intriguing to say the least. With little and cryptic hints every few chapters the entire story eluded me for a big part of the book but I didn't mind. There was more emphasis on romance than on the mystery and I liked that.

Contrary to her contemporaries and the first York book, Victoria Dahl toned down the humorous note considerably in this book and considering the characters and their romance it fit. This doesn't mean there wasn't any humor at all but it was kept subtle in favor of the intricacy of the romance. I thought this was well done, even if I did miss the laugh-out-loud humor I’ve grown used to by Ms. Dahl.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN YOU is a lovely historical romance that I read with a wistful smile on my face and a twinge in my heart. Simple but wonderful writing with characters that make you root for them both was mixed with a little mystery and a heartfelt romance.

Favorite Quotes:
Granted, he was no longer grief-stricken and angry. But he could not seem to rid himself of the space in his chest that left his heart knocking hollowly around.

He glanced her way and caught her looking, and he smiled. He smiled, and it was as if there were a lamp inside her and someone had just struck the flame.

“[…] But Katie Tremont is not just some jaded, bored wife. She is the woman you used to love. And she is the woman who never once contacted you in the past decade.”
“I’m well aware of that. You needn’t fear for my heart, brother. It’s no longer tender. I’ve spent years banging it against other women’s backs, as you kindly point out.” (Edward and Aidan)

Kate heard a soft sound of want, knew that is was her own quiet moan, and opened her mouth to him. His tongue glided inside. She felt the shock of it as if she’d never been kissed, as if all those kisses they’d once shared had been an invention of her lovesick brain.

She’d kissed Aidan York, after all.
My God, she’d kissed him. Opened her mouth to him. Rubbed her tongue against his as if she’d never spent a day apart from his body. She was supposed to be a married woman, yet she’d licked at his mouth as if she were starving for it.

Guestpost: Bandicoot Cove: The Beginning by Jess Dee

2011-09-21T08:00:00.005+02:00

Today is the last day of my Bandicoot Cove Experience, a feature on the Blog beween August 25th and and September 21st with Previews, ARC-reviews and Guestposts from the authors Vivian Arend, Lexxie Couper and Jess Dee. *sniff*

Yesterday was the release day of Jess Dee's ISLAND IDYLLE, my favorite of the series so far! Click HERE for my review of ISLAND IDYLLE.

Today Jess tells us a little about how it all came to be.
Please help me give Jess a warm welcome and enjoy this last post of the Bandicoot Experience for now...

In the beginning, Viv, Lex and I knew we wanted to write an anthology together… and that’s about all we knew. We had no idea where the anthology would be set, who the characters were, and what the common factors tying the books altogether would be. In order to be productive, we’d arrange chatting times on Yahoo Instant Messenger. The point of these chats? To answer all these questions and brainstorm the anthology.

We’d spend hours just trying to find common times to chat to each other, and then have to pretend to be very focused on the books, when we all really just wanted to have a good chat. Sometimes, to help keep all three of us focused on the writing, we’d even make lists in advance: lists of various issues that needed to be discussed during these chats.

I took some time to browse through the earlier emails we’d written, and came across this one I thought I’d share. It’s an email I sent Lex and Viv, focusing on some questions I believed we’d need to find answers to during a chat. I asked the questions and followed each one up with my opinion (in brackets). Lexxie then returned the email with her responses in bold

On 05/09/2010, at 8:19 PM, Jess Dee wrote:

Right, some things I've been mulling over which we can chat about tomorrow.

1) Where is it set?
(On a tropical island? We won't do a wedding, we can have another central plot.)
I reckon a very small but very exclusive island just off the tropical far north Queensland coastline called Bilby Island

2) Are we going with the hotel theme? (I'm very happy with it.)
I love this theme

3) Who is the central character linking them all? Is it a central character, or just a central theme?
(For eg, is it simply the opening of a new hotel, first weekend in the hotel? Or is it Jane Doe's first hotel opening and she's sent out invites to her nearest and dearest to attend?)
I like central character

4) Is the central character one of our main characters?
I'm thinking the central character isn't one of ours. She's the lynchpin that brings ours together

5) Can I have conversations in my book with your characters, and if so, can I send them through to the owner of that character to write an appropriate dialogue?
(I love the idea of that - if you have any clue what I'm talking about.)
If we don't, I will sulk (and if you don't, I will sulk)

6) Are we going to begin each book at the same time, ie one common scene, but obviously the scene will be viewed in three different ways as it will be in the POV of one of our characters.
(Love this idea)
Oooh, I love love this idea

7) Do we have a Central opening line: eg, "I hereby declare this hotel open."
(love this idea)
By the Power of Greyskull....

8) If one of us wakes up in the middle of the night and feels the need to work on the antho, is it ok to completely ignore her, or yell at her to go back to sleep?
If I'm not asleep, talk/chat/work away :)

(Note from Jess, added for blog: This question was targeted at Viv, who has a ridiculous habit of waking up at obscene hours in the night…and writing.)

10) How much junk food can one consume while working on this antho?
As much as one likes (I will most likely consume copious amounts of tea)

11) How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Forty-two

12) What's big, white and very dangerous when it falls out a tree?
A fridge.

13) What is the meaning of life?
Forty-two (same as the woodchuck question *grin*)

14) Can you tell I'm totally into this idea and already having loads of fun with it?
Yes.

15) Do you have questions to throw out?
What’s big, white and blue?

BTW - the answer to no. 12 is a fridge. So maybe we don't actually have to discuss it after all. ;)

And finally - just because I love an idea doesn't mean I'm stuck on it.

————————-

So, that was the email with Lex’s answers. (She never did tell me what was big, white and blue!)
A couple hours later Viv’s reply came:

Will answer properly once I'm not lying in bed writing on my itouch. ;)

BUT, I had an extra little idea I wanted to throw at you guys. Q#3-- the girl who is opening the resort and invites her friends along. You KNOW we are going to have people asking about her. It would take a little figuring out, but I'm totally game to write an additional 4k or something and come up with a freebie to add to this set.

Could be G1 shows up in our books occasionally flustered, and everyone chalks it up to opening nerves, but it's really that every time she rounds a corner or hits her room she's being fucked silly by HER two lovers.

:)

Sent from my iPod

Nope, Viv never did respond to the rest of the questions. But that was okay. Because her little email sparked a whole new idea, and Kylie Sullivan’s book, Exotic Indulgence was born.

It’s nice to be sitting here now, on the other end of the journey. All four Bandicoot Cove books have released. I sincerely hope the reader’s journey to Bilby Island and Bandicoot Cove is as fun and satisfying as the trip we took while writing the books!

Jess

Island Idyll

Adolescent fantasies can grow into very adult realities.

Bandicoot Cove, Book 4

Sienna James has come to Bandicoot Cove to mourn the end of her eight-year relationship with Ben Cowley. The last person she expects to meet is the star of every one of her high school fantasies.

Joshua Lye is not only as appealing as he was in high school, he reveals she was the main feature in his adolescent wet dreams. As kids they never got it together. But they’re adults now, and there’s nothing keeping them apart.

When Ben arrives at the resort determined to win Sienna back, finding another man in her bed kind of throws a spanner in the works. But he isn’t deterred. Rather than admit defeat, he comes up with an alternative plan: Let Sienna sleep with both men—at the same time. Then she can make an informed decision as to which man she wants.

Sienna shouldn’t want to go through with this shockingly sexy plan, but she does. Desperately. Except after the sexual storm passes, she could have it all…or be left holding an empty heart.

Product Warnings
Contains a suggestion beyond risqué, a solution beyond orgasmic, and two men who know how to play dirty. Really, really dirty.

Review: FADE TO MIDNIGHT by Shannon McKenna

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000+02:00

Gone But Not Forgotten

Davy…Connor…Sean… Three brothers who have conquered their demons, but they’ve never forgotten their long lost brother, Kev, whom they believed to be dead. When the McCloud brothers discover Kev is alive, they won’t rest until they find him...

Beaten and tortured almost to death, Kev Larsen was found eighteen years earlier in a warehouse alley. He survived his brutal ordeal, but his memories before that night were completely erased. When he nearly dies from trying to save someone from drowning, the brain surgery he has to save his life triggers fragmented, terrifying memories. With only these memories and the name of his torturer to guide him, Kev is determined to unlock the secrets to his past.

Edie Parrish has always been good at not letting anyone get too close to her. If someone were to learn of her unusual gift, her life would be immediately jeopardized. But when Kev Larsen discovers who she really is, Edie has only one choice: to trust him. And soon, Edie can’t resist her consuming desire for him—even though she knows she’ll have to pay a price for it.

Now Kev and Edie must race against time and place their faith in each other to stop a deadly legacy...

Title: FADE TO MIDNIGHT
Author: Shannon McKenna
Series: McCloud Brothers, book 7
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Year of release: 2010, June 1
Format: 1st Edition Hardcover
Source: Received a copy of the book from the publisher for review

First line:
I am f#cked. (chose to go with first line of chapter 1 instead of flashback-ish prologue)

Memorable Scene:
- The scene in the motel when Edie and Kev are on the run from the bad guys > impressive in every way and the epitome of what I love about McKenna's writing

I need to state upfront that it took me three starts and Kev and Edie to finally get on one page together and meet for me to finally be hooked by this 7th installment of the McCloud Brothers series but when I got there I was totally and utterly hooked. And I was glad I didn’t give up on it in those first 50-100 pages.

Kev(in)McCloud aka Kev Larsen is a daredevil. He’s fearless, arrogant and masterful. Through his characterization and the writing I could feel his despair to remember who he was and all the stuff from his past. There were moments where I thought Kev was a bit too obsessed and going too fast with Edie but these moments were scarce and were also immediately negated by the fact that Kevin would acknowledge (through internal thoughts) the craziness of his feelings and the speed they came about. However that didn’t take away that sometimes I wanted him to be a bit less crazy with his obsession.

Edie Parrish is a graphic novel artist. She’s quiet, shy, artistic, creative and a little tongue-tied. She has a special psychic gift, brought on by the cognitive enhancement experiments done on her in her youth. Edie was awesome. I found her a much stronger heroine that most other heroines in this series and a perfect match for Kev. She developed as a character throughout the first part of the story as she became more mouthy, which IMO was triggered by Kev. I adored the bits where she'd go off on him and yell at him, argue with him and challenge him.

Both Kev and Edie have their flaws but those are also what make them strong and memorable characters that totally fit the rest of this book.

The secondary characters were a mix of old familiar ones (of course Kev’s family members and their spouses) and new intriguing ones like Kev’s adoptive family, especially Bruno but I’ll get back to him later, and Alex Aaro whom I hope will get his own story too.
So about Bruno…He immediately caught my eye as Kev’s foster brother and at one point in the book I was really afraid that McKenna was going to kill him off in the book. Luckily she didn’t because I learned that he’s the hero in the next McKenna book (BLOOD AND FIRE) that’s coming soon. YAY!

Oh almost forgot about another secondary character that really needs a mention: Tam!! It’s known that she is my favorite female in this series. I unapologetically confess my love for her in all the reviews of the McCLoud Brothers books and in FADE TO MIDNIGHT she rocked it even harder. I loved her in this book. LOVED! I also wish I could quote pages 432 and 433 in their entirety to show exactly what I love about her and Shannon McKenna's writing and characterization. But I cannot do that because it would be too extensive and also it would be too spoiler-y. So all I can say is, if you have the book and plan to read it, pay attention to pages 432 and 433.

Shannon McKenna's villains are evil and twisted geniuses and the ones in FADE TO MIDNIGHT fit the bill perfectly. The female villain is depraved too and she really gave me the shivers...and not in a good way. As usual when reading McKenna's villains I was shivering in horror yet undeniably fascinated. The neuroscience stuff went a little above my head at times but as I really enjoyed the suspense and romance it didn't really bother me and I didn't go out of my way to try and understand or make sense of it all.

The way McKenna writes the suspense plots in this series is awesome. Not only the ones in the individual books but also the ongoing overall plot of Kev's disappearance that was there in some way or form in all the books, with a (logically) more in depth look in Sean's book (EDGE OF MIDNIGHT). They are all brilliantly set up. Some (many?) may find McKenna's suspense (and romance) over the top and too much but I love it. In FADE TO MIDNIGHT, like in all the other McCloud books I gobbled it up and relished in the intense reading experience.

The suspense in FADE TO MIDNIGHT, even though I was privy to much more stuff than the characters, still was nail-biting and kept me on the edge of my seat as I was anxiously looking forward to the moment where everything would come together and the villains would get what was coming to them.

FADE TO MIDNIGHT was emotional, humorous and hot. With its intense hero, amazing heroine, awesome secondary characters, heinous villains and excellent suspense it fit the rest of the books in the series perfectly and I’m sad to see the end of this story arc in the series which I enjoyed to the fullest ever since reading the first sentence of BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

Favorite Quotes:
She reached back, struggling with the fastenings of her shabby white bra. Wishing she had a seductive scrap of silk and lace on. At least the boobs themselves were acceptable, as boobs went. “Who said anything about helping?” She flung the bra onto the sweater, chest out, shoulders back. Displaying herself. Ta da. Take that buddy. Tit power.

“Thank you,” she replied. Her face was so hot, she felt feverish. “The compliments are just super-nice, and I appreciate you being so sweet, but the buildup is driving me crazy. If you don’t kiss me now, I will grab a fork and stab you with it. Or else faint from lack of oxygen.
His laugh rang out, loud and happy. Then he seized her.
The kiss sprang into being fully formed. No lead in, no awkward fumbling, no slow, graceful merging. Just all the sudden, they were twined together as if they has always been, locked into a greedy, devouring clinch like they were starving to get inside each other.

She smiled, her eyes flashing timidly down to his tireless tentpole of a dick. “Are you, ah, cold?
He was a blast furnace. His dick was going to be in a state of permanent inflammation, now that it knew that Edie Parrish existed.

He’d never dreamed how deep it could cut. How hot it could burn. He was wide open to her now. She could slide those slender, cool fingers in between his ribs, grab his heart, and squeeze it out of existence. And he didn’t care. He’d found his angel, She was his. Or more precisely, he was hers. And he was cooked.

Kev dragged her up onto his lap and hugged her. Tears ran down her face, and she was completely unembarrassed. It was good, it was fine. It was wonderful. The she kissed his face, and found it wet.
Her heart opened so wide, she thought it would break, become something she never knew a heart could be. Vast and pure and fearless.

“Your brother catered a surprise meal for us?”
He shrugged. “He desperately wants to get me laid. He thinks that getting laid is the solution to any man’s problems. Common cold? Get laid. Ingrown hairs? Get laid. Pursued by an angry billionaire? Get laid.”

He lay there afterward, shaking. Every time they made love, he felt more naked. More out of control. Carrying on like a crazed barbarian warlord, waving his dick around like a club. But it was all bullshit. The power dynamic between them was brutally clear.
He was on his knees to her. She owned his ass.

“You’re aware of what this will cost me, right? Kev will redesign my skeleton. I’ll be short a head, or missing a couple of limbs the next time you see me. And I loved being bilaterally symmetrical (Bruno to Edie)

ARC-Review: ISLAND IDYLLE by Jess Dee

2011-09-19T08:00:00.005+02:00

This pen-ultimate post starts the wrap-up of my Bandicoot Cove Experience (a feature on the Blog beween August 19th and and September 21st with Previews, ARC-reviews and Guestposts from the authors Vivian Arend, Lexxie Couper and Jess Dee). I am sad to see this experience coming to an end (for now). I had a blast reading the books and hosting the authors with their posts. Three awesome authors, each in their own way, with their own writing styles and personalities. I feel honored to have been given this opportunity!

Today marks the day of the last ARC-Review and boy did this book blow me away. Completely and unexpectedly Jess Dee gave me one of my all-time favorite ménage-reads so far and one of my favorite reads this year!

Coming up next:

Jess Dee’s Guestpost – Wednesday September 21st

Adolescent fantasies can grow into very adult realities.

Sienna James has come to Bandicoot Cove to mourn the end of her eight-year relationship with Ben Cowley. The last person she expects to meet is the star of every one of her high school fantasies.

Joshua Lye is not only as appealing as he was in high school, he reveals she was the main feature in his adolescent wet dreams. As kids they never got it together. But they’re adults now, and there’s nothing keeping them apart.

When Ben arrives at the resort determined to win Sienna back, finding another man in her bed kind of throws a spanner in the works. But he isn’t deterred. Rather than admit defeat, he comes up with an alternative plan: Let Sienna sleep with both men—at the same time. Then she can make an informed decision as to which man she wants.

Sienna shouldn’t want to go through with this shockingly sexy plan, but she does. Desperately. Except after the sexual storm passes, she could have it all…or be left holding an empty heart.

Warning: Contains a suggestion beyond risqué, a solution beyond orgasmic, and two men who know how to play dirty. Really, really dirty.

Title: ISLAND IDYLL
Author: Jess Dee
Series: Bandicoot Cove, book 4
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, September 20
Format: eBook
Source: received an e-ARC from the author for review

First line:
Sienna James drew her arm back, took aim and flung a flattish oyster-colored shell forward with as much gusto as she could manage.

Memorable Scenes:
- Josh and Sienna meeting for the first time after 12 years > sparks flew in that short delicious scene
- Ben's entrance scene > Wow! That was some first impression
- the scene that followed Ben's entrance > heart-wrenching

A relationship of eight years gone wrong, a high school crush and adolescent fantasies left unfulfilled and a romantic luxurious resort with one man happy to finally discover if the real thing is as good as the fantasy and another man desperate enough to save his relationship by suggesting something risky. The woman looking for a hot holiday fling is in for some good and dirty times. The main characters in this smokin’ hot 4th installment of the Bandicoot Cove series are Sienna James, Joshua Lye and Ben Cowley.

Sienna is friends with Kylie, the resort’s manager and has accepted the invitation to the soft opening without hesitation. Sienna is a determined, bold and sexually inhibited woman who is just coming out of a long-term relationship and ready to dive into the dating-pool again.

Her first encounter with a man after leaving her ex is Joshua, who happens to be the resort’s IT-guy. But Joshua is no stranger. They went to high school together and they had mutual crushes on which they never acted. Joshua has a great sense of humor, he’s direct, a fighter and he’s gentle and considerate but absolutely no pushover.

But if Sienna thought Ben was going stand back and accept her leaving him without a fight, she has another think coming because Ben decided to follow her to the resort and is willing to go to extremes to get her back. Even allowing another man in their bedroom. Ben is mercurial to say the least. He’s a bit forceful yet not domineering. He is commanding, raw and a strategist.

At some point I was hoping Sienna would make Ben grovel more than the little effort he was making before she considered taking him back. It was as if she'd forgotten he was more committed to his career than to their relationship of 8 years. And the minute I was thinking that about Sienna she did me proud and reminded Ben exactly why she'd left him in the first place. Love it when an author does that!

The sexual chemistry between Sienna and the two men was off the charts. And the dynamics between the two men "fighting" over Sienna's affection, challenging each other, egging each other on, was the icing on the cake. It was intense and super-hot. And a very different kind of ménage compared to the themes in the other books of the series. This is what made this book stand out in the series and made it the best one! I will elaborate later in this review why without spoiling, which is very hard

Jess Dee's writing is just mesmerizing. It flows so smoothly and paints vivid images in your mind. It oozes wit and heat with a very down-to-earth vibe to it. The sex scenes are carnal, explicit and dirty in the best sense of the word. They are exquisitely written and I may have found another author trying to kill me with overheating while reading her sex scenes. Thanks, Jess!

I spent a great part of the book wondering if Sienna was going to have to choose between Ben and Josh and if so, who would she choose? In the end an emotional twist that I was expecting and yet dreading made it seem Sienna didn't have to choose at all and I thought that was that. But no, Jess Dee threw a final but major twist at me (one I was secretly hoping for) and she totally gave me what I wanted, taking that uniqueness of her ménage story to an even higher level. Not to mention making me cry my eyes out at the same time.

On top of that Jess also gave me the ending I wanted though I wasn't expecting it because it was not the safe, PC (romance-wise) path to take. So I applaud her for taking it anyway and giving me this awesome reading experience.

ISLAND IDYLLE is a more than worthy addition to the Bandicoot Cove series. With its own unique approach to the ménage theme it was definitely my favorite of the 4 books so far. It’s a perfect combination of explicit, luscious eroticism, heartbreaking emotions and awesome writing skills. It was an awesome, almost perfect, story that just checked all the right boxes with me. It moved me to tears, it aroused me to combustion and it resonated deeply, even after having finished reading it!

I hope the wait for the next Bandicoot Cove book won't take very long as I'm already in withdrawal.

Favorite Quotes:
“Josh?” she asked tentatively.
He nodded. “In the flesh.”
And, oh, dear Lord, what flesh it was. If the teenage Josh had made her blush like a fool, the very adult version made every nerve ending stand to attention. At sixteen, he’d been cute. At thirty, he was full-blown sex on a stick.

He looked downright lickable. Sienna could only thank her lucky stars the waitress arrived with her daiquiri at that moment. Otherwise, she would, without a doubt, have licked him.
Not all over. Just a little sample of his neck. And maybe his lips. And, if she could just get that T-shirt out of the way, then maybe a nipple as well.

Holy f#ck! She’d parted her lips for him, inviting his tongue in, leaving the hot, sweet cavern of her mouth open to his exploration.
Her taste hit him with the force of a cannonball, smashing into his chest, winding him. Sweet and tangy, like strawberries and rum. And salty, like the sea air. Innocence, mischief and…sadness, all rolled into one.

Did he want her sympathy? Tough! He wasn’t about to find it here. “Whose fault is that?” She didn’t wait for his reply. “How the hell do you think I felt all those times you had to work? All those times I pleaded with you to spend a little time together, and you said no? You think the loneliness wasn’t unbearable? You think it didn’t break my heart?” Uh-uh. Too subtle. “You think you didn’t break my heart?” Her hand shook as she pointed at him, jabbing his chest with her finger. “ You broke us. You broke you and me. If you’re feeling a little lonely now, there’s only one person to blame.”
Ben’s groan was guttural. “You’re right. About everything. I fucked up. I broke us. And I was too damn blind to understand it at the time.” He rapped his chest. “It was my fault.”

“Walk away, princess,” he whispered. “If you can.”
She shook her head, but before words could form in her mouth, telling him she couldn’t and she didn’t want to, hands fastened around her shoulders and twirled her around, out of Josh’s grasp.
“She doesn’t have to walk,” Ben snapped at Josh. “I’ll take her.”
And take her he did, straight into another kiss, just as forceful and just as exquisite as Josh’s.

“Kiss him,” Josh said in her ear. “Enjoy his mouth. But when you come, know who gave you this orgasm, because this time it won’t be your fiancé.”
O-orgasm? This time? What the—?
Before the thought could solidify, Ben tore his mouth from Sienna’s. “Touch her—and die!”

Watching Sienna kiss Ben had been a huge, freaking turn-on.
It shouldn’t have been. It should have made his c#ck shrivel up and die. It should have made him want her less. It hadn’t.

“That’s assuming I want to have a threesome with you,” Josh said, just as dangerously as before.
Screw the gentleman act. “Mate, you had your dick buried against my fiancée’s naked #ss, while she kissed me . You and I both know that had Sienna given you the okay, you would have buried it inside her #ss without a second thought. So don’t feed me your crap about me and threesomes.”

“Tell us what you want. You’re in control, baby. Lead us.”
Josh nodded, murmuring in her ear. “I’ll follow wherever you take us.”
The only trouble with their request was that it meant Sienna had to talk, and since she was a raging mass of hormones, a multi-pleasured sack of bones, speech was not all that easy.

“You created the magic, [SPOILER]. Not him. It sparked the second I saw you by the pool and exploded into something undeniable when we made love yesterday afternoon. [SPOILER] got caught up in our magic. Yours and mine. That’s why the sex was so good. It wasn’t about him, it was about us.”

Her heart belonged to him completely. Him, and no one else. And his mouth told her his heart belonged to her—and no one else. Which was a damn good thing, because Sienna was just as selfish as [SPOILER]. She too refused to share.

Review: WHEN YOU DARE by Lori Foster

2011-09-18T10:00:00.002+02:00

The tougher they are, the harder they fall…

Professional mercenary Dare Macintosh lives by one hard and fast rule: business should never be personal. If a cause appeals to him and the price is right, he'll take the mission he's offered. But then the lovely Molly Alexander asks him to help her track down the men who'd had her kidnapped—and for the first time, Dare's tempted to combine work with pleasure.

Fiercely independent, Molly vows to trust no one until she's uncovered the truth. Could the enemy be her powerful, estranged father? The ex-fiancé who still holds a grudge? Or the not-so-shy fan of her bestselling novels? As the danger heats up around them, the only anchor Molly has is Dare himself. But what she feels for him just might be the most frightening thing of all…

Title: WHEN YOU DARE
Author: Lori Foster
Series: Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor, book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: HQN Books
Year of release: 2011, April 26
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Requested e-ARC from publisher via NetGalley

First line:
Midnight came and went with only the quiet buzz of meager traffic along the beach.

Memorable Scenes:
- Dare confronting Molly's dad about her disappearance and rescue > tough, protective and commanding Dare stole my heart right there
- scene at the lake when Molly decides she'll make her feelings for him known to Dare > memorable for 2 reasons:
1. glimpse of how I wanted Molly to be throughout the book
2. Hot make-out scene
- bath tub scene > carnal, intense and hot! Dare's sexual commands made me weak in the knees. Thank you for this scene Ms Foster!

When Dare Macintosh rescues Molly Alexander after being kidnapped and held prisoner in Mexico, she decides to hire him as a bodyguard while she tries to find out who had her kidnapped and why.

Dare is a mercenary. He’s honorable, down-to-earth and caring and sweet despite his gruffness. Molly is an author of suspense novels. She’s full of bravado, impatient and proud. Molly was a bit harder for me to get a grip on than Dare. I cannot say I liked or disliked her, I just can’t make up my mind because of some inconsistencies in her characterization.

I thought it was a bit strange that with the sisterly bond described in the anthology story READY, SET, JETT Molly doesn't even think about contacting her sister first thing to let her know she's okay. And even when Dare directly asks about that, she comes up with some crap explanation. This is one of the things about Molly that just didn't mesh with the set-up created in the anthology story. And there was more... Also, the picture you get from Molly through Dare's eyes just doesn't match with the actions and characterization of Molly herself.

I liked both the romance and the suspense parts of the book. The romance was well-written and was one of the elements that prevented me from putting the book down once I got reading. The wait for the sexy scenes took a while as the first full-out sex scene appears about halfway through, but once it came they were well worth waiting for.

There aren’t many secondary characters as the secondary cast consists only of a few people close Dare and Molly. This gave the book a clear and crisp feel and it wasn’t cluttered with a lot of secondary characters I had to keep track of. I loved Chris, Dare's PA and good friend. He was so full of dry wit and sarcasm I couldn't help but love him. The chapters in his POV were as surprising as they were welcome.

With the suspense I was wondering at first what angle was going to be taken with the plot as it started at a point in the story I was expecting much later in the book. Once the suspense plot got going I kept guessing who could've been responsible for Molly's abduction. And when I found out who was behind it, though I wasn’t quite sure on the motives at first, it quickly became obvious.
Despite the predictability of the suspense I really liked the concluding scenes and the conclusion of the plot. They were Action-packed and thrilling!

Lori Foster has an agreeable writing style that reads very easily and even if I had some issues with Molly's character I enjoyed the rest of the story and just flew through it. The bit about the disgruntled readers did come across as preachy and I found it didn't fit into that scene. That being said as I'm not familiar with the situation or book referred to in the book I can let it pass by me just remarking that I didn't understand the need for this particular scene/dialogue in the book as far as the plot was concerned.

Enjoyed this first installment of the Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series, despite the few issues I had with it. The romance was awesome, the suspense was good though a little predictable, especially towards the end but I'm very happy I've got the next two books of this series on my reading pile!

Favorite Quotes:
He opened his mouth and treated her to a tantalizing love bite that sent liquid sensation throughout her whole body. Near her ear, he whispered, " Now, when you think of biting, you think of me, okay."

His jaw hardened. "Push me, and we'll be talking about it on the bed, with me inside you and to hell with what your sister hears."

QuickScore-Review: UNLOCKED by Courtney Milan

2011-09-17T09:00:00.000+02:00

A perpetual wallflower destined for spinsterhood, Lady Elaine Warren is resigned to her position in society. So when Evan Carlton, the powerful, popular Earl of Westfeld, singles her out upon his return to England, she knows what it means. Her former tormenter is up to his old tricks, and she’s his intended victim. This time, though, the earl is going to discover that wallflowers can fight back.

Evan has come to regret his cruel, callow past. At first, he only wants to make up for past wrongs. But when Elaine throws his initial apology in his face, he finds himself wanting more. And this time, what torments him might be love…

Title: UNLOCKED
Author: Courtney Milan
Series: Connected to Turners series, book 1.5
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Year of release: 2011, May 30
Format: eBook
Source: Won it in a Twitter giveaway done by Jane (Dear Author)

First line:
It had been ten years since Evan Carlton, Earl of Westfeld, last entered a ballroom.

Memorable Scenes:
- Evan's public apology to Elaine > moving and beautiful

QuickScore-Verdict:
UNLOCKED can quickly be summarized in: a house party, a remorseful man, a resilient woman with a steel spine, oblivious mother/parents and mean-spirited family members. Especially the last ones really got to me. I did not like Diana (Evan’s cousin) at all in UNVEILED and that didn't change in this book, not even the attempt to redeem at the end her made me like her. This being said not even my dislike of Diana could ruin this story for me. I love, love, love how Courtney Milan creates magic with her characters.

UNLOCKED is an excellently written, character- and emotion-driven, story that shows how bullying and ridiculing people can destroy them unless they find the strength in themselves to overcome it. UNLOCKED is a perfect mix of characterization, emotion and romance and despite being a novella it had the feel of a well-rounded full-length novel. I’m in love with this series!

Favorite Quotes:
Cold gathered in her hands and a knot formed in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to turn on her heel and run. But she’d realized long ago that running was the worst thing she could do. Deer and rabbits ran, and the sight of their hindquarters usually only spurred the dogs to the hunt.

He had always had deceptively compelling eyes—dark and fathomless. She felt as if she might glimpse hidden secrets if only she peered into those depths. He looked as if he were about to reveal some extraordinary truth, one that would explain everything. An illusion, that. He was nothing more than a snake who could hold her spellbound in his gaze.

Elaine knew her laugh was awful: high-pitched and so loud that people turned to stare at her. When she laughed, she snorted in the most indelicate manner. Her laugh had been the cause of their torment all those years ago. And so when Elaine laughed without holding back, she sent them a message.
You cannot break me. You cannot hurt me. You cannot even make me notice you.

She had every reason to think ill of him. Yet, for all that, some errant corner of his mind paid avid attention to the pale pink ribbon threaded through the neckline of her gown. He couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if he were to pull on it. Would the gown stay up, or…
God. Ten minutes in her company and he was fantasizing about her breasts again.

“I think,” he said to her on this evening, his voice barely audible over the roar of the crowd at the soirée, “that your seamstress needs a new palette.”
A year ago she’d have bristled, hearing an implied insult. Today she smiled at him indulgently. “Why ever is that? Just because I happen to like pink doesn’t mean you must wear it.”
“That wasn’t why.” He grinned. “Although I’ll have you know that I turn out very nicely in pink. And purple. Any man can don white and black. It takes a truly masculine fellow to manage lavender.”

He was talking about friendship, but the way he looked at her… She would crackle like fire if he touched her.

“I’ll be your friend in daylight. I’ll treat you as a comrade in every gas-lit ballroom. But alone, under moonlight, I’ll not pretend that I want you for anything but mine.” (Evan)