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.

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.”

Sebastian…Sharp. Cool. Controlled.

Ruthless in business, Sebastian is at the top of his game professionally. Emotionally he keeps himself alone, aloof and almost untouchable.

Escaping her wedding, it takes one look at ice-cool Sebastian for Bollywood star Aneesa Adani to be hooked! Letting Aneesa in could ignite the fire that melts even the hardest of hearts…

Title: THE STOLEN BRIDE
Author: Abby Green
Series: The Notorious Wolfes, book 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Harlequin Presents Line
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Year of release: 2011, August 23
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: won an ARC on the author’s website

First line:
Aneesa Adani was stuck in a waking nightmare.

Memorable Scenes:
- Sebastian undressing Aneesa > the buildup of that scene was excellently done
- The scene after Nathaniel's wedding ceremony > very emotional, lump-in-throat moment when Sebastian finally opens up
- The end > the authors of this series have the uncanny ability to write some powerful and beautiful endings to the books


Aneesa Adani is a popular Bollywood star about to get married to a man she doesn’t want or love but at the last minute pulls the runaway bride act. She’s pragmatic, caring, sweet and open. I really liked how throughout the book Aneesa grew from a sheltered naïve young woman to a woman strong enough to defend her views and needs.

Sebastian Wolfe is the owner of a chain of hotels, son of a mentally unstable mother and an abusive father he has always been one to withdraw from others and depend solely on himself. He’s guarded, cerebral and a loner. I loved that Sebastian would apologize immediately to Aneesa when he said hurtful things and not stubbornly hold on to his own opinion.

What I liked most about the romance was how both Sebastian and Aneesa were equally affected by each other and the chemistry between them, even if Aneesa is quite innocent and inexperienced and Sebastian is this smooth, cool-headed man of the world. Watching them fall in love and grow close despite their individual reasons for not wanting it was a joy to read.

Abby Green's writing is enthralling in its simplicity and has a very pleasant pace thanks to the way she applies the main characters POVs. There's a very good balance between action, emotions and characterization and for me, once I started reading I just couldn't stop. She gave me some very pleasurable reading hours with her contribution to the Notorious Wolfes series.

THE STOLEN BRIDE is another wonderful installment in this series. Not only does it fit in perfectly and add more insight the Wolfe-family puzzle, it also offers a unique couple, a refreshing twist on an age-old trope in category romance, a small look into Indian wedding ceremony habits and the right balance between conflict and romance. I now have my eye on Robyn Grady who will be providing the next book in this series and I can’t wait to read that one!

Favorite Quotes:
Coming from a large family of mainly half-siblings, having been born to a man who’d married three times, had numerous affairs and begat eight children, to say that Sebastian had a jaundiced view of the holy sanctity of marriage was a huge understatement.

Sebastian was grateful for Daniel’s solid presence when Aneesa had appeared in the dining room. Or else he wasn’t sure if he would have been able to restrain himself from smashing the heavy oak table aside and picking her up like some kind of caveman to bring back to his bedroom, to ravish her.

“You may or may not have meant what you said last night, but all day I’ve been praying that you did. Aneesa…I’m in love with you. I’m so fathoms-deep in love with you that I’m drowning. I’ve been falling for you since the moment our eyes met that evening, when you looked at me and made my world go spinning in the other direction. But I had no idea what was happening. Not until we came back here…and I saw what love is, and recognized it for the first time in my life.

Underneath the movie star’s good looks is a man battling with the demons of his past. No one knows the real Nathaniel, they only see the pin-up, the man he pretends to be.

Until one night he is forced to rely on Katie Field, an ordinary young woman from a very different world to Nathaniel’s. She may be starstruck but she isn’t blinded by the bright lights of fame. Can Nathaniel trust her enough to reveal the man behind the mask?

Let the seduction begin…

Title: A NIGHT OF SCANDAL
Author: Sarah Morgan
Series: The Notorious Wolfes, book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Publishing, Harlequin Presents line
Year of release: 2011, June 21
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Received an advanced copy for review from author

First line:
They were waiting for him to fail.

Memorable Scenes:
- Nathaniel opening up to Katie about his family > throat lump moment
- The days in Rio > with its high point: the sexy scene in the lift *fans self*

Nathaniel Wolfe is a big Hollywood actor. He’s broody, sarcastic and guarded, hiding a vulnerable man beneath his outward bluster. He also lives up to his bad boy reputation with his naughty, bold remarks towards Katie.

Katie Field is a costume designer. She’s down-to-earth, realistic and says what she thinks. She’s a real chatterbox, especially when nerves hit her and I really liked her self-deprecating sense of humor.

A NIGHT OF SCANDAL is the first in a multi-authored series brought by HP: The Notorious Wolfes. The series covers the stories of the 8 siblings born from different mothers and all fathered by the horrible William Wolfe. This first book tells the story of Hollywood star Nathaniel Wolfe and costume designer Katie Field. Circumstances force them to spend the night together, in a very platonic way, but once the press gets wind of it, they’re forced to flee to a private island resort and there the platonic side of their relationship is soon forgotten.

The opening paragraphs hooked me like no book has hooked me in a while. The chemistry, banter and the battle of wits between Nathaniel and Katie were a joy to read. The attraction is undeniably there but both try to not give into it. However when they do give in, the sparks fly off the pages. Ms Morgan definitely delivers on the sensual tension she creates.

I really like Sarah Morgan's voice. Her characters have depth to them and she incorporates humor in her writing, always a plus with me. In less than 200 pages she took me on an entertaining, thrilling and emotional rollercoaster ride. From amusement to anger to tears to sizzling sensuality...they all claimed my state of mind at one moment or another while reading. My first encounter with Ms. Morgan's writing has been an awesome reading experience and an unexpected pleasure.

This first installment has most definitely whetted my appetite for all other 7 stories in this series. I need the to read the other Wolfe siblings' stories and if they're half as good as ANOS was I'll be in romance reading heaven. (Meanwhile I’ve read the second book and it was just as good as this one!)

Favorite Quotes:
It was immediately obvious that she’d renewed her make-up and then scrubbed it off, afraid it would look as if she were trying too hard. Nathaniel gave a humourless laugh. She didn’t need to try. Make-up or no make-up, her mouth was still the same full tempting curve that made a man want to dive straight in and sample the flavour.

“If I leave you here they’ll feed on you like sharks attacking raw meat.”
“If I’m the raw meat in that analogy, then it isn’t a very flattering description. No woman wants to think her thighs would provide sufficient food for one shark, let alone sharks in the plural.

“Where are you planning to go?”
“A journalist-free zone. I need to lie low until the Sapphire ceremony. A deserted island. Sun, sea and se–“
“I am not having sex with you.”
A ghost of a smile touched his mouth. “I was going to say seclusion, but sex sounds good to me. You talk when you’re awake and you talk in your sleep. It remains to be seen whether you talk during sex.”

Katie hurried down the steps. Like Cinderella, she thought, running from the ball. Except that she hadn’t lost a shoe. Both shoes were on her feet, but her heart was in pieces.

Back Cover:
CAPTURED AND MARRIED BY THE PRINCE!
Normally Prince Nico Cavelli would never waste his time visiting the prison cell of a tourist. Except this particular alleged criminal has stolen something very personal to him—his son, heir to the Montebianco throne!

Lily Morgan always knew it was a mistake coming to the Mediterranean kingdom, but she’d had no choice. First she was thrown into jail for a crime she didn’t commit…now she’s been bailed out by the prince—though in return she must become his royal wife!

I was thrilled when I won this ARC in a giveaway at the author's blog. As I just started reading from the Harlequin Presents line a short while ago, I was eager to read this one too and it didn't disappoint at all. I was planning to review it before the holidays so I could put it up on the blog around January 1st (release date) but lack of time prevented me from doing so now, about a week after release I'm finally sitting down to write my review.

CAVELLI'S LOST HEIR starts off smack dab in the middle of things. Lily Morgan is arrested and thrown in jail in the small kingdom of Montebianco, accused of trafficking priceless antiquities. Nico Cavelli, Crown Prince of Montebianco, finds out he fathered a child two years ago, in a one night stand with Lily and now has some decisions to make. From the moment the book starts a lot happens. Nico rather forcefully coerces Lily into marrying him, whisks her of to Paris for a makeover and shopping trip so she'll look the part of the Crown Princess, they marry and of course there are also problems looming, both from within their relationship and from external elements.

Nico is a true prince. He seems harsh and distrusting, he is arrogant and elegant yet caring and devoted too. He is tired of his outward playboy, uncaring image but maintains it out of guilt and a sense of duty. Lily is feisty, independent and determined. She doesn't let people walk over her and Nico has a hard time winning her over after some of his less courteous actions. I loved that about Lily and Nico. Though they both make some wrong assumptions they were strong enough characters to admit their faults and mistakes and move on from that.

Within the first 20 pages the conflict is set up and you know where things are heading. Assumptions are made to and fro by both Lily and Nico, creating the conflicted situation that needs resolution. I liked the second part of this book more than the first because more things started to happen and Lily and Nico started opening up to each other. The sex scenes were surprisingly more sexy and steamy than I expected them to be in a Harlequin Presents. I read a few HPs before this one and those I read weren't this explicit. I was pleasantly surprised by it and it also immediately prompted me to go and buy Ms. Harris' other and debut Harlequin Presents title, SPANISH MAGNATE, RED-HOT REVENGE.

Despite the story being a little predictable and slow-paced at in the beginning, I loved this book. I like Lynn Raye Harris' writing style a lot and her love scenes are sensual and scorching hot. Her writing is very agreeable and fluent. I liked the characters of Lily and Nico and the ending was emotional and sweet but not too much, just the way I like 'em.

CAVELLI'S LOST HEIR is the perfect book to escape the harsh reality of everyday life and get lost in a few pleasurable reading hours, dreaming of being whisked away by a dark, tall and handsome prince. If you have an ounce of romance inside you and you're looking for a quick and satisfying read, this is one you shouldn't miss.

Quote:
He didn't try to touch her again, but his mouth was still crooked in that knowing grin. His voice a sensual purr. "Run, Lily. Run far and fast before you find yourself sprawled naked on my bed. Because if we begin this, I will not stop until it's finished."

Rating: 7.7 out of 10